Masquerade
by bunny chan
Summary: Hogwarts holds an annual Masquerade, but James doesn’t seem please with the very thought of it. He had every reason possible to hate it. It was until one night of Masquerade that change his mind… LJ : my best [me thinks]! please rr!
1. The Dreamer

Masquerade 

**Masquerade**

_It started it all and I'd never know  
How a Christmas Masquerade hate had transformed into  
Beautiful woven spins of yarn  
Where fairytales unfold before you_

**Chapter 1: The Dreamer**  
It was always an exciting event to happen to a twelve-year-old. Well, _most_ of the twelve-year-olds anyway. One particular individual was fuming over the ridiculous idea of having a ball. No, not really a ball. It's a masquerade. 

'I can't believe this. A masquerade?! Dad never told me that Hogwarts held an annual Masquerade, lasting from Christmas Eve till New Year!' James said irritably to Sirius Black. His friend sighed. 

'That's the tenth time, Potter, you complained to me,' Sirius said boringly. 'Couldn't you just call it quits?' 

'Call what quits?' his friend snapped. 'To the ball? I never knew that I can call quits with some stupid, lifeless party,' James said sarcastically. He stomped huffily into the Gryffindor common room, yelling the password at the Fat Lady, who grumpily slammed the hole after him, making sure that James's finger got caught. It worked successfully and James yelled. 

'Ssh!!!' Peter Pettigrew, another first-year, hushed. 

'I don't need any toilet! Why should I "ssh" in that case?' James said snappily. His normally calm mood had gone a little out of line from the time Dumbledore announced that Christmas party. The elves in the kitchens throwing pans around didn't help much, too. Just added oil into his already flaming self. 

James Potter never liked Christmas. He hated it. He hated it for being a merry day, he hated it for being the day people are happy, and, most of all, he hated it because his mother had died on that very day. Of leukemia, or whatever those stupid muggle doctors had said. She died at the very stroke of midnight, when Christmas rang in. When James's Christmas turned bleak. 

'Remus is sleeping,' Peter said in a hushed tone. 

'He's _always_ sleeping,' Sirius commented, looking at the pale boy on the comfy sofa. He poked his eye a little and Remus shifted his position uncomfortably. 

'Always sick,' James said. He added, in a considerably softer tone, 'So's his mother. Poor thing.' 

'He can't help it,' Peter said in sympathy. 

'He needs some antibiotics,' a girl's voice said suddenly, in the seemingly empty common room. The boys glanced around nervously. 

'A ghost?' Peter suggested. 

'Who's that?' Sirius asked curiously. 'And ghosts don't sound alive, do they Peter?' 

'No...' 

'Forget who is it. Just show up. It's rude to talk when you're not - I repeat, Madam, _NOT_ invited!' James said sharply. The girl stood up from her sofa, which faced behind them from the fireplace. She went to them and smiled pleasantly. 

'Lily Evans. Please to meet you,' Lily said cheerfully. Peter held out his hand solemnly and Lily took it, just as solemnly, and shook it. Sirius and James were also engulfed in this hand shaking. Lily picked up Remus's sleeping hand and shook it solemnly, too. 

Sirius cracked. 

'What _are_ you doing?' he asked, stiffling a laughter. 

'Why, what else am I doing but shaking hands with my you?' Lily said, smiling at them broadly. She had a nice set of teeth; only one crooked tooth next to her front teeth. 

'Which year are you in? I'd never seen you before. Are you an exchange?' James asked curiously. 

'No. I'm in my first year. A... muggleborn, if that's the term,' Lily said. 'Can never get use to these wizarding terms.' 

'You'll get them eventually,' Peter said carelessly. 'I did.' 

'You're in the same year as we are,' Sirius said bluntly. 'How come you weren't around?' 

'Oh, no one notices me,' Lily replied. 'Unless I want them to. And it's more fun. Do you like people to notice you?' 

'Sometimes yes, sometimes no,' James said. 'I'm 50-50. By the way, my name's James Potter.' 

'Sirius Black.' 

'Peter Pettigrew.' 

'Wha?' Remus mumbled sleepily, stirring from his sleep. 'Oh, have I fallen asleep again?' 

'Obviously,' Sirius stated. 

'Oh, _no_!!! I haven't finished my Transfiguration, my Charms isn't done and I hadn't even started Potions!' Remus cried, scrambling his fingers over the parchments in his black school bag. 

'Hang on there! You mean the dateline has changed?' James asked urgently. Remus blinked blankly at him. James added helpfully, 'Erm, to an earlier date?' 

'It has? I'm DOOMED!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Remus moaned, pulling his hair. He then stop, deciding that it would not save him from his current situation and began doing his work on the table. 

'You know, he has a case of hysterics,' Lily said, staring at Remus's quill flying over textbooks and parchments in an orange blur. 

'I don't!' Remus yelled. He paused and then turned around. 'You are...?' 

'Lily Evans.' 

'Oh, the girl sitting right at the back of the class. Have you finished your homework?' 

'Um, no... the dateline's two weeks later, right?' Lily said, wondering how he, a seriously sane minded person, could try to finish homework as early as that. 

'That stupid, good-for-nothing, lousy, evil Masquerade ball!!!' James muttered suddenly, out of the blue. 

'I think he has a case of hysterics too,' Lily said to Sirius and Peter. She paused. 'A masquerade? How can this happen? ho started that? Aaah!!!' 

'You know what, I think she has that hysterics she's talking about,' Peter whispered to Sirius in amusement. 

'I couldn't agree any much more than you,' Sirius replied. 'But one thing's for certain, we have a new friend as late as the end of October. Wonder why didn't she join the get-to-know sessions in September.' 

'Is this Lily insane?' James asked worriedly. 'She seems a little to me. Seem to get mood change most of the time.' Lily over-heard him and laughed lightly. Her high-pitched voice reminded James very much of the house sparrows in his bird nest at home. 

'Don't worry, I'm not mental,' she said assuringly. 'I get over-excited at most times and emotions are not something I can control. I have as many people as you do.' 

'People?' Remus echoed. 'In us? It's only me, as far as I'd seen.' 

'No, no! I mean personalities,' Lily said. 'See we have a sad side, a happy one, angry and bla bla bla. They can take control over us at any time they want, though it's very unlike your curses like the--what was it? Crucio or Imperio? Who cares-- It's not like those curses, so there.' 

'Oh... Take Jimmy here for example, then. He was burning a while ago,' Sirius said. 

'His "person" never stayed for a chat,' Peter said, understanding what Lily is talking about. James, not meaning to be put down and be humoured at (for not being as angry), immediately summoned up the angry fire that had raged in his chest a while ago. He failed. After all, no one can control his/her emotions. 

'Who cares?' James snapped. 

'Sore loser Potter, sore loser Potter,' Sirius sang cheekily. James felt like landing a fist on his friend's goofy face and mute that equally goofy voice. 

'Hey you! You are all first-formers, right?' a prefect in his nightgown barked suddenly from the stairs. 'Get back to bed or I'll issue you detentions! Making noises as late as this... pests.' He left right after. 

Lily mumbled a quick goodbye and departed to her dormitory hurriedly. Remus packed his things, moaning about his still unfinished homework. James and Sirius yawned and left. Peter fed the goldfish in the pond some bread before leaving. The lights in the common room turned off. 

~ * * ~

The boys see more of Lily than they usually do. In that case, it means that they noticed her in classes for the first time. She never had a partner in Potions, no friend for Charms lessons, no chums for Transfiguration and definitely no one to talk to in Defense Against the Dark Arts. 

Yet the funny thing is that Lily seem pretty contented with all of this. She smiled gaily at no one in particular, laughed silently, ate her food with a soft smile of knowledge as she pushed her meatballs and cabbages, and grinned whenever Nearly-Headless-Nick made a joke about gruesome death. 

No on seem to notice her at all. Students talk and walk as if she wasn't there, they ignore her and Lily... well, she just isn't there. She seemed to have camouflage ability to sink into any picture possible. 

'Guess I'll just give Professor Sprout another reason,' James shrugged when Sirius asked him about his Herbology homework. 

'Really? You'd ranged from ants' droppings to Merlin's orders. What other reasons you can still give?' Sirius asked in mock surprise. James thought for a while. 

'Think she'll buy "the devil ate my homework" stuff?' James asked. 

'No,' came the flat answer. 

'Sheesh. What about "my kitty threw it into the dustbin, deciding that I wasn't creative enough"?' 

'If you even _have_ a kitty...' 

'Hmm... "the Venus Trap Peter caught in the Forest acidize it."' 

'Really, how stupid can this get?' Sirius said in exasperation. James might as well say he jumped down the cliff and survived death. 

'Look, just borrow me yours,' James said urgently. 'I'll copy it and I won't get into trouble.' 

Sirius held his assignment protectively, indication a definite "no-no" body language. James groaned, just as Lily sneaked into the greenhouse, her black bag hugged to her chest. 

James was at her in less than a second. 'Lily, I'm sure you remember me, right? James Potter? Yep?' 

'Why would I forget anyone?' Lily asked curiously. 

'Can I see you homework? Y'know, Herbology?' 

'I haven't done it yet,' came the innocent reply. James stared. 

'What?! Then- then what will you say to her?' the boy stuttered. He was out of reasonable reasons, as far as he'd known. Lily grinned at him. 

'I posted my homework to mum instead of the letter I meant to send. See, professor, I folded both parchments and kept them in the same compartment in my bag. Just then, my owl came for its daily post for home and I hastily took it out for--' 

'You wrote that one out, didn't you?' James said. 

'Actually, no. I thought that when I was talking to you. It just came into my mind, out of the blue,' Lily replied. 

Just then, the short, plump, Professor Sprout trotted in on her stubby legs, her face beaming brightly at her students in a motherly fashion. 

'Please hand in your homework I assign you last week, about the Mini-Trap Plant!' she called. 

Everyone placed their rolls of parchments in her arms (as the greenhouse provided no desk for studies purposes). Lily and James stood before her, looking guilty. 

'Yes, Evans, Potter? Where's your homework?' she asked. Lily suddenly burst into tears. James jumped up in surprise at the outburst. He wasn't quite expecting that. 

'Oh, professor! I'd finished my homework, but this evil RedCap under my bed tore it into pieces! Look, Professor,' Lily said, sobbing bitterly as she held out a few bits of torn parchments. Only few words like "as", "the", "likely" and "specially" could be made out. Lily shedded more tears. Professor Sprout, being a kindly soul, began comforting her at once.

'There, there, dear, it isn't your fault,' the professor said kindly. 'Write another one and hand it to me on Tuesday, okay?' Lily nodded sadly and left for her seat, whispering a barely audible 'good luck' to James.

James's heart sank. Could he get or make up a convincing excuse to save his hide? Well, it's worth a try…

'Your excuse, Potter?' Professor Sprout asked sternly.

'Professor, my excuse is unbelievable,' James said solemnly. 'You won't even believe it. Not even for all the galleons in the world.'

'Speak. I'll try my best to.'

'See Professor, _the devil ate my homework_!' James said dramatically. 'I was doing it late in the common room last night when this guy with a white face, red eyes and red lips came. He grabbed my parchment, professor, and I fought for it. Look, he even scratched me!' James pulled up his black sleeve to reveal a long gash in the arm. Professor Sprout gasped.

'Oh, dear!'

'He took my homework, ate it, and left,' James said as solemnly as he can, rubbing his hand carefully over the "gashed" arm. Actually, he had accidentally caught his arm on a tiny needle. Sirius tried getting it off for him, but being Sirius, he caused a long skin scratch. So much for his help.

'Potter, you are excused. Hand in your homework on Tuesday,' Professor Sprout said, sighing in sympathy.

Back in his seat, Sirius was dying to burst out laughing. He felt like exploding, in fact! The reason James had given was totally unacceptable! The boy could hardly believe his ears and eyes when the plump, stout teacher excused James.

'You had the nerve to say that! I'm surprised that she even believed you!' Sirius laughed, when they were out.

'Don't ask me how. I copied Lily's ways,' James said. 'You heard her elaboration?'

'RedCap under her bed,' Remus snorted. 'The first place it'll end up in is the toilet bowl if I ever find it!'

'She was convincing, with the papers and stuff,' Peter said.

'I owe her one now,' James sighed.

'You sure do,' Sirius said. 'Maybe you two can get hooked up and all.'

'Typical twelve-year-old,' James muttered. Sirius heard the comment and is not pleased with it. He frowned at James.

'I'm twelve and so are you!' he retorted.

'I'm _twenty_,' James said, pointing at his head. 'My brain's twenty, get me? I'm much wiser than you.'

Peter coughed. Remus snorted. Sirius howled with laughter. And Lily muttered something about a moon princess.

'When did you join us?' Peter asked at once. Lily looked puzzled.

'Did I join you?' she asked innocently.

'Then what are you doing in this empty common room?' Sirius asked.

'Is it empty? No, it isn't. There's carpet, sofas, couches, tables…'

'Jimmy says that you gave him inspiration for excuse,' Remus said, changing the subject.

'I did? I didn't give anything…'

'Um, whatever. And thanks, Lily, for helping me with my excuse with the professor. Else, I wouldn't even be here at the moment,' James said. Lily shrugged.

'Yeah. He'll be in the black list again,' Sirius said. 'Not like he isn't yet, but heck, who cares?'

'I do! My dad'll be murdering me!' James yelled.

'You don't seem to. Else, you'll be doing your work _and_ your detentions.'

'Oh. Er, that's a different, um, case.'

'Why do we rarely see you, Lily?' Peter asked.

'You don't observe?' Lily said, making it sound more like a fact than a suggestion.

'Oh, okay,' Peter said, scratching his head. 'Well then, have you found partners for the ball? Remus, have you? I hear the girls are going like hot cakes,' he said, deciding that he should change the topic.

'What ball?' Remus inquired.

'Christmas. It's a Masquerade.'

'Em, no. I didn't know there was one,' Remus said uneasily, fidgeting a little.

'Half the girls are asked, in case you don't know,' Peter said helpfully. Remus just shrugged.

'No worry for me, in that case. You see, if my sister gets a date, I'm safe. If not, I'm dead,' Remus said dully.

'Sounds very… systematic,' Sirius said thoughtfully with a bite of uncertainty in it. 'I'm still deciding.

'_I_'m not going,' James said.

'I'm not going, too,' Lily echoed. 'Mother's remarrying.'

'Great. So is my father,' James said. 'A stepmother. Oh boy. It should be very pleasant—not.'

'You'd better count your stars that she's not like Cinderella's stepmother,' Lily said. 'I wish my new stepfather is nice. I never met him yet. I wish he'll be sweet, nice, caring, loving and all.'

'You mean, you two have single parents?' Peter asked.

'I have only my mother and my sister,' Lily said promptly.

'Only my father and two house elves,' James said shortly.

'Petunia is the sweetest sister ever! She makes you laugh all the time!' Lily said brightly. 'Once, she yelled "YAH!" at my face and fell into her birthday cake.'

'Maybe she was trying to scare you,' Remus said helpfully. 'I mean, my sister Rebecca always does that, but she never fell into a cake.'

'I'm getting a stepmother!!!' James moaned.

'Hope my new father will be as I'd hoped,' Lily said dreamily.

Sirius figured that this girl (Lily Evans) dream too much. She seemed to have an imaginative mind. Then again, it could be stupidity. There's a thin line there, between stupidity, creativity and insanity. Lily could be either one of those or all three.

'I was wondering,' Remus said, 'if Lily's mother and father for married, what'll become of you two? I mean, neither of you know your new parents.'

'Nothing! We'll be brothers and sisters, then!' Lily said easily. 'But the chances are one out of hundred, meaning 1%.'

'We'll remain friends, right?' James said.

'Yep. Only brother and sister.' Lily began humming a "London Bridge Is Falling Down" tune to herself absent-mindedly.

'Back to the original topic. Why can't you attend the masquerade? It lasts _every_ night of December, starting Christmas Eve, all the way to New Year!' Remus said. 'I don't think a wedding ceremony lasts _that_ long!'

'Er, yeah,' James said gloomily. 'Truth to be told, it's not the wedding ceremony that's keeping me. That's on early December.'

'So what is the reason?'

'I … don't want to go.'

'I'm going for a snack,' Lily said suddenly, standing up. 'Anyone has a clue where the kitchens are?'

'No kitchens in Hogwarts,' Sirius said automatically.

'But that's impossible! How'd our food come by?'

'No idea.'

'Hmm… maybe it's fairies's cooking,' Lily said, thinking hard. 'Or brownies. I hear brownies help in cooking and house maintenance, but they want payment, which is a saucer of milk. Judging the castle's size, we need at least a million saucer of milk for the brownies… Or maybe it's a-'

'An elf,' James said. 'It's elves that do jobs like this for free. I have two back home. Hogwarts have millions, probably. They hide pretty well, too, and you won't see them.'

Lily's face fell. 'Ah. I guess no snack, then.'

'You won't die,' Remus said, cackling cruelly.

'Yeah. Least you'll be is just- just-… what will she be?' Sirius asked in puzzlement.

'Faint of hunger,' Peter suggested.

'Not a thrilling thing to hear, Peter,' Lily said, frowning. 'I don't fancy being unconscious. Any better idea?'

'You can catch fish by the lake,' Remus suggested.

'If you're lucky, you might be eaten by the giant squid or pulled down by the merpeople. They're rather playful,' James said teasingly.

'You need a better line to scare me!' Lily retorted scornfully. Peter thought for a while.

'Do you think that there are kelpies in there?' he asked pensively.

'What are kelpies?'

'Refer your Magical Creatures book,' Sirius said. 'You muggles call it Loch Ness Dino.'

Lily blinked blankly. 'Nessie is in Scotland. In Loch Ness. How did she come all the way to Hogwarts?'

'Whatever. I don't know where this castle is anyway, but it's not a tourist attraction center.'

'I'm not fishing, then,' Lily said finally. She don't quite fancy meeting the legendary dinosaur from the Loch Ness. High chances are that she'll be eaten first. She pulled out a book. 'I'm reading.'

'Let's go hunting!' Sirius yelled, as the boys marched out of the common room quickly. Slam! The portrait hole was shut.

'H-hey!' Lily called. 'Fine! Leave me here!' she huffed.

A small figure spied the reading Lily carefully, her white hands trembling and sweaty. She drew her breath in and walked out of the storeroom by the stairs. Lily barely even look up.

After all, the girl reminded herself, she's a mind-yourself person.

The girl straightened her robes and drew another deep gush of oxygen.

'Hello Lily,' she greeted. Lily looked up at her and blinked.

'Hello Jenny. What are you doing here?' Lily said.

'Um, nothing. I was wondering, er, if I…'

'Yes?' Lily said. Jenny gulped.

'Lily, I- I- I- I want to be your friend,' Jenny stammered. She hurriedly added, 'If you don't mind, of course.'

Lily stared at Jenny as she took the girl in. Jenny Kurt was a sweet girl, another Gryffindor first year. She had short black-brown hair, cropped neatly around her pretty oval face. She looked rather mousy with her large glasses, sitting on the bridge of her nose, her grey eyes staring out of its thin frame.

Lily smiled. 'Sure, why not?'

~*~

AN: *look around nervously* so what d'you think of it? I mean, it's the first time I'm trying [-keyword-] to write a romance story [*cough* at least, a series] and I do want comments, because I rather like this idea. If it's bad, I'll improve it in the next chapter. Yes, I am planning to finish this, whether you like it or not, so bear it! Besides, this is the only thing I'm planning to write so far, so bear with it even more! *cackle* *cough* erm, comments, please? Flames will be welcomed too, though I'll hardly find much use of them ^_^ I might use it to burn up all my exam results or I might just keep them for fun. Who knows?

Thanks to Lori who edited this one J

Please review! :)


	2. Cerulean

**Masquerade**

_In deep blue folds of midnight's knit  
Your slender figure glide to me  
Your pretty face the masquerade mask hid  
The you I had longed to meet_

**Chapter 2: Cerulean**  
'How was your new stepmother, James?' Remus asked, when James returned from the wedding ceremony.

'Fine. Only that my mother's better. Her name's Cindy,' James said shortly.

'How about darling Miss Evans's?' Peter asked.

'He's _everything _a stepfather _should not_ be!' Lily cried at once. 'He's kind, loving, caring, handsome…'

'That, Lily, was what you had wanted,' Jenny said. The boys had accepted her some time ago.

'But what I _really_ want is just a _normal_ stepfather!' Lily said.

'He is normal,' Remus pointed out.

'I want a cruel, mean, heartless man who hates me! Someone who'll make my mother's love die for me, whose passion against the lady's daughter is above the gauge of anger!' Lily recited passionately. Her friends rolled their eyes at her. Typical Lily.

'Then you will be miserable,' Sirius said reasonably.

'Of course I would, but that's the whole fun of it, see?' Lily said, grinning. 'I'm tortured, my prince'll come on a white horse and he'll kill my evil stepfather!!! And we shall fall in love and live happily ever after!' Her friends coughed.

'That's like a… story,' Remus said.

'That's boring,' James said flatly.

'How old d'you think you are?' Peter asked tauntingly.

'I think that's wonderful,' Jenny said dreamily.

'But the sad part is that I got a total opposite of my dreams,' Lily said, dropping her voice with a hint of sob developing in her throat. She then grinned at them. 'Anyway, his name is Brad and I'm lucky to be allowed to keep my name. I can't imagine how Professor McGonagall will get used to calling me Lily Brad. Her face would be priceless!' Lily tossed one of her bright red plaits to the back. Lily's hair was always tied in two thin plaits, its ends bearing a dark green ribbon to match her green eyes.

'Two days to Masquerade, people,' Peter said. 'Who's going with who?'

'I'm going with Audrey,' James said, sighing. 'Or sort of. She asked me and I never answered.'

'No one,' Remus said flatly, as if he don't even care, which is quite true.

'Jenny,' Sirius said. Jenny flushed.

'I never asked you!' she protested. 'Neither did you, me!'

'Well, I'll be taking you there, in that case. That's that.'

'What about you, Lily?' Peter asked, turning to the girl. Lily blinked blankly.

'Excuse me? Aren't masquerade a party where you cover you face with a mask so no one can recognize you?' she said in puzzlement. 'Why bother looking for partners when we're all anonymous??'

'Aah! We have someone smart at last!' Peter said joyfully, applauding. He then added, 'I figured the same too.'

'Goody. This means I can turn down Audrey's invitation!' James said gleefully. 'Yippee! I don't have to attend that stupid thing!'

'Don't you all _know_?' Lily said in surprise. Everyone but Peter shook his head. 'It's a ball where everyone comes in formal wear and, most importantly, wear a mask over your eyes,' Lily explained.

'No one opened the dictionary,' Peter grinned.

'But- but where're we getting the masks?' Sirius asked nervously. 'I haven't got one, except an old Ultraman one that I got when I was a toddler!'

'I asked Professor McGonagall,' Peter said intelligently. 'If you haven't got one, you can get it from the props room in the old charms classroom.'

'You're a genius, Peter. We'd better grab the nice ones hurriedly, then,' Remus said. 'See ya!'

~ * * ~

Jenny struck a dramatic-looking pose in front of her full-sized mirror. She smiled at her own reflection in satisfaction.

'Looking good, Miss Kurt,' Jenny murmured to herself. She turned to Lily for her comments, only to find the other girl staring blankly and distastefully at her own reflection. Jenny's heart sank.

Lily's beautiful ripples of wavy red hair were pinned into a simple twist at her collarbone, where it fell right to her fairly tanned elbow. The deep blue robes she wore reminded Jenny very much of a starry night sky. A pair of starry diamond ones replaced Lily's usual plastic earrings.

Jenny could feel her envious feelings growing as she saw her friend pull a face at her reflection. Lily was definitely not pleased with _her_ looks, however much Jenny liked it. What happened to those big, puffy sleeves they usually show in the Cinderella stories?

Lily caught Jenny's gaze on her halfway during a pulled face and muttered a small 'ack!' before retreating for the washroom.

'Well,' Jenny said, turning to her now seemingly plain reflection. 'I guess that's why she's hardly noticeable. And I thought I met a new girl a month ago.'

With a sigh, she pulled off her stupid over-large glasses and wore the dreaded contact lenses. She then placed her yellow mask over her misty grey eyes.

Alright Masquerade ball… I'm ready…

~ * * ~

Choosing for girls are just like choosing for an item. You see it, like it, want it and you take it. Don't get what I mean? Well, the habit it currently on among James's friends.

'Let me see… I'll take this,' Peter said. 'The brunette girl with forest green dress.'

'Nay, Peter. I want to take her,' Sirius said.

'Oh.' Peter's face fell. He surveyed the Great Hall again. 'Then I'll take the raven haired girl there then, in sparkly bright red.'

'She's mine too,' Sirius said carelessly. Peter fumed.

'I'll go for the, um, yellow dressed girl. Blonde and in yellow. All yellow,' Remus said uncertainly.

'She's also mine, Lupin,' Sirius said, not even looking up.

'How can all three be yours?' Peter scowled. 'I don't care, I'm taking that brunette!'

'And I'm going for that blonde,' Remus said. The boy felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around to see a tall girl, sandy haired and in black dress robes, a maroon mask over her brown eyes. Remus's heart sank.

'Remus, it's you, right?' the girl said. If possible, Remus's heart nearly stopped beating.

'Yes, Rebecca,' Remus said mournfully to his elder sister. 'Mum, er, sick again?'

'Yes. You're wanted. C'mon kiddo.' Rebecca Lupin dragged her brother off without waiting for him to reply. Remus waved sadly at his friends.

'Poor thing,' James sighed. He pushed his macaroni around. He hadn't the mood to eat. He's bored. He hate this macaroni. He hate his new stepmother, Cindy, for "stealing" his dad. He hate his black mask. He hate this stupid masquerade. He hate everything. Well, probably that's why he's all black. Black for mourning…? Sounds good.

'Hey, enjoy yourself!' Peter said, trying to perk up James's interest.

'Christmas's stupid. Cindy's stupid. This whole thing is all stupid,' James muttered monotonously, chewing on the tasteless macaroni. He spat it out. 'Yuck! Even this macaroni's stupid! Don't the house elves recognize the meaning of "overusing tomato sauce"???'

'Well, maybe not. Bye bye, I'm going to ask some girls for a dance,' Sirius said. 'If I don't get a partner now, someone might come up with a bad idea to pair. You know, those _desperado_ ones that desperately need to dance but have no one to dance with. They usually come up with those ideas.'

'Enjoy.'

'Bye Jimmy. And do look cheerful,' Peter said.

'See you.'

James sighed. How wonderful. His friends decide to pair up before getting paired. Wise, actually. Well, destiny calls that James Potter should be a miserable boy on Christmas eve. And tomorrow is his mother's death anniversary day. How joyful.

Speaking of his mother, James wondered if his mum celebrates Christmas in the Heavens.

'W-w-would you like to d-d-dance?' a familiar sounding voice stuttered. James stared at the yellow masked girl before him. Her brown-black hair was pinned neatly to the back and she was blushing furiously.

'Why are you so red? This is some stupid Truth or Dare game you're playing with your girlfriends, isn't it?' James said sourly. The girl looked shocked.

'N-n-no,' she stammered. 'I-I-I just wondered I-if you w-want to d-d-d-dance.'

'Thanks, but no thanks,' James said boringly. 'I don't feel like it.'

The girl blushed ever more before excusing herself. James wondered who she was. Her voice was familiar, though he couldn't quite place his finger in it at the moment. Ah, who cares? Not _he!_

Back to the original topic before that girl disturbed him. Now, where was he? Oh yeah, do angels celebrate Christmas. Santa Claus never celebrate Christmas; James knew because Santa _worked_ on Christmas day. But that's Santa, not any angel. And Santa—

'Would you like a dance?' a girl asked in an Irish accent.

If it's not a sign of psycho madness, James would dig all his hair scalps up and replant them back. He clenched his fingers into a ball of fist to control himself from doing so.

'No, thank you,' he said at once. 'I'm not – I repeat, NOT – feeling well today.' He got up at once and walked right out of the castle doors. If the Great Hall couldn't offer him any peace for train of thoughts, the gardens would.

Alas! When James reached the gardens, he was greeted by whispers of lovebirds. In deep frustration and near madness, he marched towards the lake. He'd like to see which couple dare go to that open area, hah!

Fortunately for James (and the couple who had detoured, or James would've yelled at them there and then—wouldn't care even if they'), the lake and its banks are quite, quite empty.

James seated himself near the lake and began his train of thoughts again. He had not even started when someone interrupted him:

'Hello!'

James lost his temper.

'That's it!! All I want is peace! Is that too much to ask for? Huh? I just do NOT want to be disturbed today!!! And you can well expect my answer be NO if you want some crummy dance out here on the grass! And I—'

'Um,' the girl said. 'Sorry, but you ought to cool it, you know. I'm here to escape the bing-bangs in the Hall, too.' James's anger faded.

'Oh. Sorry, then.' She shrugged. 'What's your name?' James asked, eyeing her curiously.

'The masquerade mask is there for a certain meaning. Figure it out yourself,' she replied. James frowned. That wasn't something he is used to.

'Well then, what can I call you?'

'Try Loner,' the girl giggled.

'I'm serious! My name is—'

'Don't say it. It spoils everything. I'll call you… Night,' the girl said. 'You have black robes (are they school ones?) and black mask and black hair. All black. I'll call you Night.'

'Hey, that's an insult! I have a name for an even better reason than the mask!' James retorted.

'Well, I'd rather know you anonymously… You can call me anything you want, too.'

'Fine then. Fair, I guess,' James said, making a face. 'I'll call you Cerulean. I mean, you're all blue except for your hair and eyes and skin though I can't really see well in this kinda light.' It's dark out, save the small moonlight from the hidden full moon behind the clouds.

'Suits me well enough,' Cerulean said nodding.

'Now just leave me alone,' James said. The girl nodded.

The two were quite silent for the next fifteen minutes, except when Cerulean got bored and decided to throw pebbles into the lake to see how many skips she can achieve. After a while longer, James, too, got bored of thinking of how angels celebrate Christmas.

'What year are you? House?' he asked.

'Not telling. It wouldn't be fun,' Cerulean replied.

'Well, there _has_ got to be something we can talk about! I'm getting bored!'

'I'll tell you a story,' she offered.

'Thanks, but I'm not a pre-schooler.'

'I can sing,' Cerulean suggested. 'I know a song, which will be just nice.'

'How should _I_ know?' James muttered. Cerulean must have heard him, because she had a hurt look on her face. 'Um, sorry. Er, why don't you sing it, then? I'm, uh, delighted to be entertained.' The girl brightened up and drew in a deep breath before singing:

I've waited all of my life  
For the day when love appears   
Like a fairy tale in days gone by   
He will rescue me from my fears 

And now I feel him standing close to me  
And how can I tell him what he means to me?   
My heart stands still... Has he come? 

Oh starry night   
Is this the moment I dream of?   
Oh starry night   
Tell me, is he my own true love? 

Every night, I think of him   
Here in my lonely room   
Waiting for my prince to come   
Wondering if he'll be here soon 

And I sit patiently, waiting for a sign   
And I hope that his heart longs for mine   
He calls my name... Has he come? 

Oh starry night   
Is this the moment I dream of?   
Oh starry night   
Tell me, is he my own true love?   
Oh starry night   
Is he the one that I dream of?

Oh starry night   
How will I know?   
Will his love show?   
Is he my own true love?

Cerulean let the last note wave serenely as James stared at the dark blue lake, mesmerized.

'That was nice,' James commented at last.

'Thanks.'

'You know, that song of yours reminded me of a friend. Her name's—'

'Don't say her name,' Cerulean interrupted.

'Okay, fine. She's always a dreamer. A little silly, too, at some times,' James said.

'You know, I pity the girl. It's not nice to call someone silly just because they dream,' Cerulean said quietly. 'Dreams come true.'

'Fat chance. My dream is that mother'll be here with me. She's not here.' Cerulean kept quiet.

'My dream is to have a prince,' she said unexpectedly. She stood up. 'Anyway, it is getting late—almost midnight. I should be looking for this year's mistletoe couple. I'll see you, Night.'

'Wait!!' James called. 'Will I ever see you again?' He felt a tug at his heart for this mysterious girl.

'Never in school, but every night of the Masquerade,' Cerulean replied quietly. 'Good bye!'

And she was off.

~ * * ~

'Dumbledore asked us to remove our masks at midnight,' Jenny said, falling heavily onto her bed. 'Imagine who my partner is.'

'Someone?' Lily suggested.

'Don't be silly, Lily.'

'I'm not!'

'Well, it's Sirius,' Jenny said, sitting up. 'He was dancing with me when the clock struck. Oh, my!'

Lily laughed softly.

'Who did you dance with, Lily?'

'Somebody,' she replied dreamily.

'Yes, who is he, Lily?'

'You guess, Jenny dear,' Lily said, pulling her covers over.

'With Mundungus Fletcher,' Audrey said sarcastically. Lily just smiled.

'Maybe.'

'Give me a clue, Lil!' Jenny pleaded. Lily thought for a while.

'Dulcis, belle,' Lily replied with a grin and a wink. 

'Huh?'

She paused. 'I'm not very sure, though.'

'What IS with you today? You seem weird!' Samantha commented.

Lily just laughed in reply.

~ * * ~

'Where is Remus?' Peter asked on Christmas night. It was another Masquerade ball, as we all know.

'Sick. Again. His mother,' James replied. 'Bye, I'm off for a walk.'

'Whatever for?' a puzzled Sirius asked.

'To get some peace. I was harassed last night.'

'Pardon me, but would you like to dance?' a girl – probably from yesterday – asked, turning her large grey eyes at him. James rolled his eyes at Sirius quietly.

'Sorry, but I'm having an upset stomach,' James said uneasily, so as to sound as if he _did_ have an upset stomach. He made sure he made his face look feverish, to look more convincing. Hah, that should fool her!

It did.

'I didn't know that you're a liar,' Sirius whispered.

'Whatever. Ciao.'

James made his way to the lake hurriedly, hoping to meet the odd girl he had seen last night. The shadows of the clear, sweet song rang in his ears repeatedly as he recalled her starry-like eyes that glitter.

His hopes and questions were dashed, when he came face to face to the empty lawn.

Oh well, he sighed wistfully, the never really mentioned the place to meet. She might have thought of the gardens.

James sat at the lake bank, staring at the bright full moon the hung like a giant pearly orb in the sky. The shimmering stars the speckled in the sky brought James's pensive thinkings from his late mother back to Cerulean.

Is she a first-year? She's rather short to be a senior. Is she a Gryffindor, like him? Or a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? Or (James shuddered involuntarily) Slytherin? And what colour is her hair? He never got much chance to notice, being the oblivious boy he is. Her eyes were hidden behind that silver-blue mask, too.

Who _is_ she? Why wouldn't she want to reveal herself? The Masquerade's just a game! The way she speak of dreams… She sounded very much like happy-go-lucky Lily Evans who hadn't a single care in the world for anything but her fantasies.

'Hello!'

'Lil!' James cried, snapping up. He caught himself. 'Pardon me. Um, hi.'

Cerulean shrugged. James squinted his eyes to try see her hair colour. It was black. Black and beautifully wavy.

'Any ideas on what to do today?' Cerulean asked, smiling at him. 'You invited me here, so you ought to think of something.'

'Um,' James mused. He hadn't any idea in mind, actually.

'We'll count the stars, then,' she suggested.

'Fine. Cerulean, who are you?'

'I am me,' she replied.

'Name, please?'

'That's Betelgeuse, Night,' Cerulean said, pointing at a star. 'I, um, think so. I'm not really sure about these stars at all. What do you think?'

James just sighed quietly. It'll be no use to try to get Cerulean's real name tonight. He can keep trying, though. Keep trying until he does…

And until then, James _might_ start looking forward to Christmas and masquerades from now on.

~*~

AN: There! Now, don't try guessing who Cerulean is!!! You really, really, _really_ don't want to know her! :) I swear!!! Besides, you _do_ want me to finish this, don't you…? Or maybe you don't. Well, if you don't, um, you can do whatever you want to do and get on with life. If you do, well, let me finish it!!! ^_^ And I know much better than to let James and Lily's parents marry! [it's just a twist of fun!] lol, after all, I AM a Chinese and a very traditional one at that… blame my parents for that.

Noelle, I know I sent you the e-mail for this, but I want to know if you _REALLY_ want to get informed on this fic…? Tell me, kay? Or else,  just refer to my author profile for the updates :)

Please review!!!!


	3. A Christmas Wish

**Masquerade**

_I wished a wish you asked me to wish  
To see if it will come true  
I say they don't, you say they do  
How can I tell that I love you?_

**Chapter 3: A Christmas Wish**  
Fifteen-year-old James Potter yawned loudly and disturbingly in the Hogwarts library. For the innocent refreshment sound of the brain, he earned a glare and three points deduction from Madam Pince, the new librarian. James groaned. That was the fiftieth point he had lost for Gryffindor that week. Looks like the house won't be in running for the House Cup this year.

'Would you please keep it down, James!' Jenny Kurt hushed. 'I need to concentrate!'

'Well I can't help feeling tired,' James retorted. 'Besides, _you_ dragged me here!'

Years have gone by just like a lightning bolt. James is now a fine young wizard, a Quidditch team player and one of the smartest kid in school. No one could figure out the reason how Dunce Potter undergone a massive wave of transformation into Genius James. Rumours are that his new stepmother had gone strict on him.

Sirius had earned a perfect reputation from a spot-clean record to being top in the teacher's List of Black Listed Students, which, I am sure, spoke well for his deeds and actions the past few years.

Remus had received a title for being the Sick Boy, because of the school absence. His sister, seventh-yeah Rebecca Lupin received the same title too, for the same reason.

Peter never changed. He is still a goody-two-shoes and a mister homework genius. Don't get me wrong now: he earned the Homework Genius as in a genius in copying homework at a superb speed. Mach 1 was the best, so far. The quill and ink was always a blur in his hands.

Lily's imagination and fantasies grew even larger than before, if possible. She was a quiet girl, still, but for some reasons or another, she was selected as one of the lucky players for Gryffindor Quidditch Team. It was another wonder of the school when she was chosen as a prefect. That gave the other Gryffindors a mighty shock of their life.

Jenny had finally removed her over-large glasses, looking, as Lily would say, like a "faraway princess from a faraway land". She's exchanged her shyness for a little more boldness, too.

'Well, stiffle it!' Jenny scowled.

'Fine,' James muttered, dozing off at once.

'No sleeping in the library!' Madam Pince yelled, kicking him out at once. Talk about strictness. James growled and left the library in a grumpy mood.

~ * * ~

'Hello Lily,' James greeted the redhead when he entered the common room. Lily was buried deep in her storybook on _The Last And Future King: A King Arthur Series_.

'Hello. Merry Christmas Eve,' Lily said blankly, flipping the pages.

'Huh?'

'Nothing. How's your baby brother?'

'Fine,' James muttered. 'I'm getting him a rattle soon. That okay?'

'He's two,' Lily said matter-of-factly, closing the book so that she can pay her full attention to the conversation they are having.

'Oh, will a pacifier do then? Or napkins? Hey, maybe he'd like some crayons!'

'Get him a book,' Lily suggested brightly. The boy groaned.

'Forget it, Lily. I don't want any _bookworm_ in the family.'

'I feel so thankful,' Lily said sarcastically.

~ * * ~

'W- would you like to dance?' the girl in yellow asked. James sighed. Again. Every year, _this_ girl will come and ask him the question. And every day, James rejected her. Today is no difference.

'No, I'm not feeling well,' James lied, leaving instantly. He hated being bombarded with questions.

It is almost a routine to James. It _is_ a routine. Right as soon as he can excuse himself and buzz off, he would and head straight for the lake where he would find the mysterious girl, which he had nicknamed Cerulean.

'Hello,' Cerulean's voice greeted him as he neared. 'It's a beautiful night, isn't it? The stars are very pretty today and Luna is at its crescent cheshire grin.'

'Yes, I guess so,' James said in puzzlement. He had no idea what cheshire is, and even less idea of whom Luna is. 'Why are you always here anyway?'

'Just because,' the girl answered, her lips smiling serenely at the calm lake.

'Because?'

'My prince might be here someday. Waiting for me,' Cerulean said. She paused. 'He _might_ be here and I want to meet him when he is.'

'Why would he be here?' James asked in puzzlement. 'He can be elsewhere. How would you know? How _do_ you know? You don't happen to take Divination, do you?' James's Divination class was woolly. He _knew_ that he hadn't got the talent, but cooking up the future and playing some pranks just to prove to the Professor that what he'd predicted came true was just a happy hobby of his.

Not to mention that it might help him with his OWLs, too.

'My heart tells me that this is the place,' Cerulean whispered quietly, as if not really trusting herself with her words. She then went on with a more confident tone. 'The place where my prince will come, riding on his milk white steed. He will take me away—far, far away. And when he does, you will never see me again.'

James's heart sank.

'Not even when I come back here?'

'No. We _might_ have met in school, but I don't know you and you don't know me… We're strangers.'

'You can tell me who you are.'

'No! I won't!' Cerulean snapped sharply. James was quite taken aback.

'Why not?

'Because the magic will be broken. The woven spell will be trampled. Would you like to see me anymore, if you know who I am? I shouldn't think so. No, it is best things are left the way they are.'

'Okay,' James said, deciding that there's some truth in her words and also found himself thinking "She's CRAZY!" in his mind.

'So. What will your Christmas wish be, Night?' Cerulean asked in hopes to change the current subject. 'And your dream? Is it still for your dear mother to tuck you in?' It sounded a lot like sarcasm, though James was sure Cerulean never quite meant it.

'My dreams have changed,' James began in a flat tone. 'Mother'll never come to me anymore.'

'Oh? So what is it now?'

'What's _yours_?'

'Mine? Hm. My dream is for my prince to come,' Cerulean. 'My wish is for him to be here.'

'Well, I think—'

'Don't think: wish!'

'There's no use in wishing because no one's here to grant them,' James said reasonably. 'Well, um… My dream is to see your face, my dear mysterious stranger.' James added the last part in a rather teasingly.

'My… face?' Cerulean replied rather dazedly, clutching the silver-blue mask that hid her eyes.

'If you can take it off,' James added helpfully. 'Some people just have it glued to their face for weird reasons. I think you're rather normal to be able to pull it off.'

James could see the look of hesitation in her eyes. The eyes that looked blue… so like the nickname he had given her. He could see her delicate fingers fingering the mask, deciding whether or not they should fulfil his dream.

James pleaded silently to himself so that they fulfil it. Or sort of. He was nearly begging her mentally to pull it off and reveal herself.

'Well, it's glued to my face,' Cerulean said, shrugging. 'Guess I'm a little abnormal. What about your wish, then? Wishes come true – well, sometimes, I think – but dreams just take a little while longer.' James rolled his eyes. Yeah right.

'I wish, then, that I'll know who you are by next Halloween. Or before,' James said. Cerulean giggled a little.

'Well, it's granted already,' said she. 'You know me already!'

'Yeah, but I wanna know you _personally_!'James argued. 'I want another wish!! Give me another!'

'I'm afraid I'm no fairy godmother,' Cerulean said, an amused smile playing on her lips. James racked his brains.

He grinned a little. 'Well, you said you wish for your prince to be here.' James looked around. 'He isn't.'

Cerulean sighed wistfully.

'No, he isn't,' she said in agreement. 'But it's not Christmas yet, we can try wishing for what we want tomorrow night. Goodbye for now.' With that, she rushed off.

James glanced at his new muggle wristwatch Cindy Potter (step-mum) had given him a few days ago. It was five minutes before midnight. She always left before midnight. Probably because she knew she had to reveal herself at that hour.

Just like that story Lily was always talking about. What was it again? Cinder- cinder- cinder- Ah!! Cinderella!

Maybe Cerulean _is_ magic, in a way, just like Cinderella.

James wondered why hadn't he placed a body-binding spell on her when they met. After all, he can pull that mask off easily, unless it's really glued on her face.

Maybe it's because it's magic. James just _couldn't _bring himself to place a body bind on that masked girl.

~ * * ~

'Lily, do you know how James dress for the Masquerade?' Jenny asked Lily on Christmas morning.

'Morning. Merry Christmas, Jen,' Lily yawned. 'And no, I don't know. Why do you ask? Got a crush on him?'

Jenny blushed. 'Yes, b- but please don't tell anyone, okay?'

'How long?' Lily asked tiredly, as though not even caring of Jenny's pleas of not telling anyone. Jenny blinked for a while before realizing what Lily meant.

'Every since our first year,' she muttered quietly. Lily never heard her.

'Make a wish, then. Christmas wishes come true. To you, I hope.'

'What do _you_ wish for, Lily?' Lily thought for a while.

'When I was young, I wished that I were a witch. I am one now, as you can see. On my first year, I wish to be smart. Pretty okay, since I got fairly good marks…'

'What about the rest of the years?'

'A huge secret, Jenny. It's a huge secret.'

'Why can't you tell me, then? Friends always share secrets,' Jenny protested.

'Not in this case, Jenny Kurt,' Lily said firmly. 'All luck to you that your wish may come true.' And that was the end of their talk.

~ * * ~

James was getting bored. Horribly bored. This Christmas, no prefects are allowed to go outside. No, pardon, not only this Christmas. It's _every_ Christmas. That was the reason why he couldn't leave. He had tried to sneak out, but Dumbledore caught him.

Sigh. What rotten luck.

Why did he ever took up that stupid prefect post? Oh yeah, there wasn't a substitute in Gryffindor fifth year for the boys. That was the worst choice James had chosen in his life. Sorta. His life hadn't ended yet, so he shouldn't be labeling the "worst" and the "best" yet.

And it had been _thrice_ the yellow-dressed girl invited him for a dance. She came like a magnet every single Masquerade night, asking him to dance.

Ho-hum. I wonder if Cerulean's out there, James wondered to himself, munching on the frostings off his Father Christmas cookie. He turned for more cookie from the refreshments table.

And there she is! Cerulean, the mysterious, blue robed Masquerade girl, absent-mindedly nibbling onto a ruby tart!

James froze in his spot. Wasn't she supposed to be out there, just like she had last night, and many many nights before? Why is she here, looking as if she's bored right out of her mind, like him?

Also, under the much-brighter-light-than-the-moonlight, James noticed that her hair had been red! Flaming red! How could he have mistook it for being black????

'James. Hey, look here, pal!' Sirius said. 'You're stealing _my_ cookie!'

'What?! But that cookie isn't yours, Sirius,' James scowled, turning away from Cerulean. 'It's from the refreshments plate! See, right here!' he pointed at the place of cookies before him.

'Well, this one has my name on it!' his friend argued.

'I don't see any name.' Sirius produced a black marker from his robe pocket and signed his initials on the cookie: S.O.B (Sirius Orion Black). James glared at it distastefully.

'Sob? You want to cry? Or maybe it's supposed to be SLOB?' James said sarcastically.

'Haha. Very funny. Now hand it over.'

'Well, I don't want a cookie with muggle poison in it,' James muttered, handing the cookie to Sirius. His friend waltzed off joyfully. James turned back to Cerulean. She was gone.

You can't expect her to keep standing there, you idiot.

'Hello, would you like to dance with me?' the girl in yellow asked again. James groaned inwardly. The _fourth_ time!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!

'No, thank you. I'm feeling rather dizzy,' James said looking sick. He needn't any stupid acting. Just looking at the girl make him feel as if he's about to throw up. Her face fell – for the fourth time that night – and she left.

Couldn't that Yellow Girl (he nicknamed her that, because she wears yellow) just see the message?? Wouldn't or couldn't she leave him in peace, for the sake of all Gods…?? I mean, there HAS got to be something in the bible or the Holy Books that say annoyance is strictly forbidden, right???

'Hello, Night,' a cheerful voice greeted. James's heart skipped a beat. Cerulean!

'Hello,' James managed to choke out. 'Why aren't you out there?' She laughed.

'The same goes for you, then,' Cerulean replied. 'But I have important business tonight. Can't leave the Great Hall.'

'Ditto to me,' James said flatly, wondering what sort of business Cerulean had to do. Is she a prefect, too, like him? Or is it because she had decided that the warmth in the Hall is much pleasanter than the freezing lake bank? Who knows.

'So, are you busy?'

'Not really. Stuffing myself with food isn't what you can call busy,' James replied.

'Wouldn't you, er, invite me for a dance?' Cerulean blushed. 'I mean, I couldn't, because it's traditionally a man's custom to do it.'

James would dearly love to say "The Yellow Girl need lessons from you" but decided against it. Instead, he held out his arm.

'Sure, why not?'

Cerulean took it graciously as James led her to the dance floor. As they headed there, James could see the Yellow Girl, gaping in disbelief. James felt like poking a tongue at her, but dismissed it as immature for a boy of fifteen. After all, you're a sort-of adult at this age.

Now he's on the dance floor with the other dancing couples—and he's just realized something essentially important.

'Um, can you dance?' James asked timidly.

'Yep! I go for lessons!' Cerulean replied cheerfully. She stopped for a while. 'A long time ago, though. I don't think I remember the steps anymore.'

'Let's just simply try any one, then,' James said jokingly. 'We'll stand out from the crowd, in that way.' Cerulean grinned.

'Why not? I like that idea.'

They returned to the table after dancing to one song, their toes blistering but perfectly happy at their accomplishment of stares that they have received from the tango they tried to tango.

'That was fun!' Cerulean laughed. She checked her watch. 'Oh my, it's getting late now. G'night, Night.' She bent over and pecked him softly on his cheek. 'Thanks for the great night. See you!'

James fingered the tingling sensation Cerulean's lips had left its mark on his cheek. The warmth in his body was heartrending, beautiful and… simply indescribable.

'It's time for your Christmas wish!' a boy in green robes (supposedly HeadBoy) cried out, standing at the High Tables. 'Make a wish now! May all your wish come true!'

I just wish to see Cerulean and know her better, James whispered in his heart. Just then, someone thumped his back.

'Hey James, what're you wishing for?' Peter asked.

'Something,' James replied. 'For something I want most.'

~ * * ~

The next night, things were back to normal. Yellow Girl asked for James's company, got rejected and left sullenly. James headed straight for the lake banks, praying that Cerulean won't be in any business as she was the night ago.

She was sitting there, beaming broadly at him when he came by.

'I was wondering if you'll be in the Hall again,' Cerulean said, pinning a minute white flower onto his black robes.

'What's this for?' James asked, pointing at the white flower.

'It's for you, what else? I wouldn't give it to you if it were for someone else.'

'No, really, what is it for?'

'For fun. I just like it there,' Cerulean shrugged.

There was a pause.

'Cerulean?'

'Yes?'

'Why can't you tell me who you are?'

'Because it spoils the fun.'

'Not even to grant my Christmas wish?'

'Not even so. Wishes have a way to come. If you're meant to know, you will know. If you're not meant to know it, then you will never ever know it,' Cerulean said, staring at the sky in a mesmerizing way.

Silence again.

'This sounds really, really, _really_ ironical, Cerulean,' James blurted suddenly. 'I'm in love with you.'

'Nonsense!' Cerulean scoffed at once. 'Your _princess_ is awaiting your return to her arms! She is awaiting for you! Go to her.'

'But—'

'And I. I'm waiting for my prince. For his milk white mare. For his love. And for his devotion to me,' Cerulean whispered dreamily.

'But _what if_ you're _my_ princess? _What if_ I'm _your_ prince? _What if_ we're both _destined_ to be?' James said, making sure his italics were clear enough.

'We'll leave all these "what ifs" to what if themselves as they are only questions of might and might nots. I'm only a stranger in your eyes.'

'And that is _why_ I want you to show me your face! And tell me your name!' James said. 'Why wouldn't you?'

'Because- because this is blind love,' Cerulean whispered, struggling to keep her voice from yelling out, too. 'This is a mere _blind love_. You don't know me, I don't know you. We are _never_ ever going to make it. I don't want you to know me, either. We are _strangers_.'

'Why not? A name wouldn't hurt.'

'If love were only skin deep… if love were only dreams… if love were only intelligence… if love were only mystery… But if love were none of those, do not seek me,' the girl whispered. With that, she fled off with a hurried 'Goodbye, Night.'

James stared after her in confusion. What happened??

What if love were a mixture of all those? What will he get? What is love were more than such mixture?? What will he get?

And what did Cerulean actually mean?

The girl with courtesy (at least, it showed only yesterday); mystery (that mask of her… how he long to yank it off!); intelligence (there is reason behind those fairytale talks); dreams (her wishes and such…); wit (those weird jokes of hers); sweetness and; beauty (so far as he'd seen anyway). The ever mysterious Cerulean.

James say out by the banks of the lake, hurt and pensive.

~ * * ~

'Something on your mind?' Remus asked, poking Jenny's arm.

'Oh, Remus,' she said, shaking up from her daydream. 'Remus, does- does James has a- a- a- a girlfriend?' she stammered.

'Not that I know of. Why?'

'Because I- I—'

'Want to date him,' Remus finished for her. 'But I think James has something – or someone, whatever – on his mind at the moment. You can try asking him.'

'R- Remus?'

'What?'

'Can I ask you of a favour, please?' Jenny mumbled.

'What now?'

'Please, find out which girl he likes!' Jenny pleaded. 'Do, please! I'll owe you a favour! In the name of our friendship!' Remus thought for a while.

Seeing no harm to it, he said, 'Okay, I will.'

~ * * ~

'Hey!!! Father says I can invite you all to my house this summer!' James said happily, swinging a letter before his friends's faces. 'And that means all of you are coming, like it or not!'

'What if I can't come?' Peter asked.

'He'll drag you there from the ends of Earth,' Lily joked. 'Right from the igloos!'

'Er, how long is it?' Remus asked nervously.

'Oh, don't worry Remus, the mansion's BIG,' James said, winking at Peter and Sirius in particular. 'We'll have loads of fun!'

'What about Jenny? She's not here,' Lily said.

'Dad says only four people can come,' James said, looking at the letter. 'You, Sirius, Remus Peter. Four. Besides, Cindy's nieces are visiting.'

'I feel bad for Jenny,' Lily said solemnly. 'Why couldn't she come?'

'Because dad says four!' James said. He dropped his tone to a whisper, 'and because she's been following me like a puppy! And it's downright annoying.'

'Maybe she likes you,' Sirius joked.

'Well, I sure don't like her much,' James said, somehow recalling Cerulean's words last night. 'She reminds me a lot of Yellow Girl.'

'Huh?'

'Never mind.'

'So when do we come?' Peter asked.

'The second day of holiday. For a whole month,' James grinned. 'And Cindy's holding a party for her stupid niece too. Yuck.' He made a face.

'Sounds fun,' Lily said.

'Get some robes,' Sirius said.

'Muggle clothing will suit me fine,' Lily said.

'Say, James, had any of your _lovely_ cousins in mind?' Remus asked suddenly. He then mentally kicked himself for a stupid start to finding whom James likes.

'Gracious, no!!!!! Yucky!!!' James cried in pure horror.

'Then who do you have in your mind?' Peter asked curiously. Heh, it worked, all the same! Hurrah for Peter! Hurrah for Peter!

'You looked spaced out these days,' Sirius commented. 'Spill the beans, Potter.'

'Go on, James, I'm interested in knowing,' Lily said. 'And you boys, too. Hurry up!'

Sirius gaped in horror. 'Why us??'

'It's James we're tackling here,' Remus reminded.

'Yeah,' Peter nodded. 'No use denying now, Jimmy. Do you or do you not have someone in your mind?'

'If no, I know someone who's interested,' Remus grinned evilly.

'Can we drop this?' James pleaded.

'No. hurry, before King Arthur slays you!!!' Lily said. James eyed her oddly. He reflected back to Cerulean's masked face that Christmas night.

'Alright. It's no one,' he said. 'Absolutely no one,' he repeated firmly, the tone of his voice carrying the meaning threat of "Drop it now or I'll curse all of you!"

'Let's use a spell on him,' Peter said. 'See if he's telling the truth.'

'Oh, no you don't!!' James exclaimed. 'It's almost time for the party. Gotta run!!!' with that, James dashed off.

~ * * ~

James was almost convinced that, after his confession of love to her, she would never meet him anymore from then on. He had reasoned to himself that he can NOT love this girl because he don't KNOW her. 

He got himself convinced. Or so he thought. His conscience was bugging him, but James found a way to shut it up. Threatening it with curses had prove effective.

Cerulean rushed down the steps of the great castle hurriedly, puffing and panting heavily for all that was worth.

'Hi. Got chased. By Filch,' she breathed, slumping down tiredly.

'I'm sorry about yesterday,' James mumbled.

'Whatever. It isn't your fault, I think.'

'I want to invite you over to my place. Can you come? This summer?' James asked. His father's letter _had_ stated four friends, but he can be talked into an extra resident. Cerulean stared at him in pure horror.

James slapped himself. Yeah, like he expect her to wear that mask of hers for a whole summer. Eat yourself, Potter!

'Sorry. A friend had invited me,' Cerulean said, still grasping her breath. 'Whole summer.'

'Ah,' James said. 'Well, what shall we do tonight?'

'Catch fish,' Cerulean suggested, magicking some fishing rods, a can of fat worms and some net.

'Whatever for?'

'I'm hungry. A trout would be nice.' She magicked a small fire nearby.

'I can do with some salmons,' James sad in agreement. 'Just hope we don't get the Giant Squid.'

~*~

AN: It's sooo long!!!! My fingers are tired!!! *holds out her fingers that hung limply from the palm* aren't you pitying me? *stares around* well, um, I don't think so. Anyway, I have no idea on what to talk about now, as I'm so tired out after typing this!!!!!!!

People are still guessing…! Don't guess yet, kay? :) you'll get your answers [and the REAL yells, Misty A.P.!!!] in the next chapter! Just do me that lovely favour! Psst, I _did_ e-mail those who asked to be e-mailed about this chapter, right? Or did I not? I think my memory went wrong somewhere!

Anyway, please review for me!!! *eyes waters dramatically as she stares pleadingly at everyone* please??? I really really want my first [not decidingly last YET] L/J romance story (series) to be good!!! I'll beg you if you want, but if you really want to know, once I get on my knees, I never get up for another long period. That goes for kneeling in those temples; all thanks to mum!


	4. Behind The Mask

**Masquerade**

_You hid yourself and never disclose  
Your mystifying you I do not know  
You kept me pondering, on and on  
Until now, I think, my wish had finally come true_

**Chapter 4: Behind The Mask**  
A small group of four fifteen-year-old teenagers waited patiently outside Potter's Porthole, James's house. It was a large mansion with simple yet elegant sculptures on its white stone walls. The pretty, white Victorian mansion stood in the center of the surrounding high walls and green flourishing gardens.

James greeted his friends happily at the gate.

'Do you live in a prison?' Lily asked, staring at the towering walls nervously. 'It looks like _you_ need a _princess_ to rescue you!'

'Don't bother her. She lives in the country,' Remus said. 'I live somewhere near her place.'

'Afraid of closed walls?' Peter mocked.

'Should I?' Lily asked. 'I don't like high walls. What if a dragon comes and invades this place along with Godzilla and King Kong? We'll be stuck in here—as their lunch!'

'There's a spell placed around here by the elves,' James said. 'C'mon, get in. Have to introduce you to dad and Cindy and my bunch of giggling quarter-cousins. They're gooses, really.'

'Quarter?' Sirius echoed inquiringly.

'I'm not related to them idiots. Sure, they're witches, but I seriously think they deserve "Dunces" on their hats!' James huffed. 'Get into your robes. Just put them over.'

James introduced his friends to his father, Edward Potter, a funny man who dressed like a genius (as Lily would describe). In that case, with a derangged sense of clothings. He looked like James but was taller than his son by a head.

Then came Cindy, a woman with chestnut brown hair, dark brown eyes, an oval face and, Lily decided, a supremely lousy taste for clothings and colour sense. She wore a white hat and chocolate robes with yellow earrings. Downright yucky.

Next came Jason Potter, James's half baby-brother. He didn't impress Lily much. He pulled her red braids, yelling 'Goo ga goo!!' all the time until James finally carried him away.

Lastly, a whole row of giggling 'quarter-cousins' of James came into the guest room, uninvited, and began pointing at Lily rather rudely. Lily hated them that very moment, and all six were given nicknames at once.

James then showed them to their rooms. Lily got a third floor guest room, pointed in cream white with little daisies decorated randomly. Sirius got a room next to James's, also on the third floor. Peter got a room next to Sirius's and Remus's room followed after.

Lily stared blankly at her room. What is she suppose to do now? Well, unpacking seems like a good choice… her bag's here and the cupboards are waiting to be filled.

'Doing okay?' James asked, peeping into her room.

'Yeah, um, I guess so,' Lily said bluntly, pulling out a collection of storybooks from her trunk.

'My room's just next to yours. If you need help, just knock.'

'Sure. No big deal,' Lily said, now flipping a book blankly. James sighed, closing the door. Lily tossed her book away boringly.

'I think it's the tenth time I read that boring book,' she muttered to herself. 'Maybe I should start unpacking already.'

She dug around her clothes. Most were muggles clothes, save four pairs of robes. She sighed. Everyone seems to be wearing robes in here. She'll look odd in her muggle T-shirt and skirt and pants.

Oh well, that'll just have to do. Besides, she _is_ a muggleborn, and it's not a crime to wear muggle clothes.

Lily yawned suddenly. Hmm… maybe she should sleep for a while. And maybe, if she's lucky, she might get to know the ending of her dream last night. The part where the prince is rescuing the princess.

Lily stumbled to the bed and fell asleep at once.

~ * * ~

Ding dong! Ding dong! Ding dong! The clock in the hall chimed around the house. Lily sat up in bed, a soft smile on her sleepy face. She had had her dream ending and is satisfied with it.

Knock knock!

'Yeah?' Lily called, snapping out of her dream world.

'Hey Lily! We're playing Quidditch now. Wanna come?' James called.

'Sure! Just let me have a minute or two to wash my face,' Lily called backed, rushing to the washroom. She unbuttoned her black robes and smoothen the lines on her white shirt and skirt.

In a minute, she opened the door promptly, grinning and holding her bronze-coloured broom in hand.

'Good!' Sirius said. 'You're with us, against the seven Giggling Gooses.'

'Giggling Gooses?'

'James's quarter-cousins,' Peter explained. 'Lily, are you sure you're going to play Quidditch in that skirt? I mean, it's long enough and all but-'

'I call them the Villian team,' Lily muttered. 'But my skirt'll do fine.'

'What?'

'Nothing, nothing!' Lily said, smiling broadly before humming a tune to herself as they march down the stairs. James listened to the familiar tune.

'Lily, what song is that?' he asked.

'A song,' she replied, before humming again.

'It's not like any nursery rhyme,' James said. Lily laughed.

'Of course not!'

'Then how do you sing it?' Lily stopped to think for a while.

'How? Hmm…'

'Hurry up!! We're starting!' Edward Potter yelled.

'Tell me later,' James said. 'Coming, dad!'

'There's only five of us,' Remus said pointedly.

'Plus dad. Six.'

'What about the seventh?' Sirius asked.

'A house-elf can fill that.'

'JAMES!!!!' Edward yelled.

'COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

~ * * ~

'Alright, I'm the Beater,' Sirius said.

'I want to be a chaser,' Remus said.

'I'm a Beater, too,' Edward said. 'James and Lily can be Chaser. Tibbles?'

'Yes, master? Tibbles at master service!' a squeaky elf said.

'You're the keeper. Peter, you be the seeker, get me?'

'Tibbles follow master words!' the elf cried. Peter nodded confidently.

'Alright Edward! We're all ready here!' Cindy called out happily.

'It's _ME_, Cindy, who's the captain of this team,' James said, scowling, as he went to the center.

'Mistress Cindy and young master James come to center!' another house-elf squeaked, for he (of course) is the game coach. Cindy and James shook their hands. 'BEGIN!'

The broomsticks shot up into the air as the whistle blew off shrilly. Lily caught the Quaffle from Cindy's team where Cruella de Vil (one of James's nicknamed cousin) is desperately trying to balance herself on her broom. Lily made a face at the girl tauntingly as Cruella scowled and cursed her (with words). Lily passed the Quaffle to Remus, who caught it neatly before sending it to James, who scored their first goal.

'10-0!' the elf cried. James's team cheered. Peter and BillyGoose (Lily's another nickname to the girl) were still looking for the Golden Snitch. Sirius beat a Bludger to Queen o' Hearts (another one of Lily's nicknames) and – as the girl was busy sulking – it hit her squarely in the face.

Remus snatched the Quaffle from a Chaser, Prunella (Lily's nickname—again) and sent it hurtling towards Lily. Lily caught it deftly before sending it towards the goal post.

They scored.

'20-0!'

'Hey!!! I found the snitch!' Peter yelled, putting his hand into the tree. 'It got stuck in the tree!'

'270-0!'

'I thought it was 150pts,' Lily said in confusion.

'And extra 100 wouldn't hurt anyone,' Edward grinned. 'Great play, Lily!'

Lily blushed. 'Thanks.'

The Giggling Gooses team landed with sour faces, except Cindy, who's beaming broadly.

'It's only a game, girls,' she said to her nieces.

'But aunt Cindy!! They're all _boys_! It's hardly even fair!' BillyGoose whined. Lily gaped.

'I'm a boy?!' she screeched. 'I'm a girl!'

'She's right, Selena (that's BillyGoose's real name). Lily is a girl, like you are,' Cindy said gently.

'She's like a boy!' Queen o' Hearts wailed. Lily felt deeply insulted.

'I'm a girl like you all are!' Lily cried. 'If you're all such sore losers, why even play a game? And you, Prunella! You were dreaming half the time! And you, Cruella de Vil! You can barely even _sit_ on a broom, let alone fly on it. Just admit that you _lose_!!!'

'What's she talking about?' the girls whispered among each other, wondering who Lily Evans is referring to.

'I'm off!' Lily said huffily, walking off, her prized broom on her shoulder.

'What _is_ the dear girl talking about, Edward?' Cindy asked worriedly.

'I haven't got a clue, but it sure sounds funny,' Edward replied with a goofy grin. 'Interesting, though.'

James stared after Lily. _He_ knew what Lily was talking about. How many times had Cerulean told him those stories? Countless. Lily had nicknamed all of his cousins with the villain's names. Cool. They sounded creative. He should use them, too!

~ * * ~

'A boy indeed, humph!' Lily fumed in her room, practicing her transfiguration with her wand. 'What sore losers! They couldn't even sit on the broom and they're blaming the team I'm in for being boys. How very ridiculously funny! I should dearly love to turn them all into hogs with warts all over them!! Shows them that I'm from Hogwarts!' She pointed furiously at the table. It turned into a white desk, complete with bookshelves.

'Perfect!' Lily said, pleased, and began filling it with her books.

'Er, Lily? Can I come in?' James called, knocking the door.

'Alohomora!' Lily cried, pointing her wand at the door. It burst open. James, standing at the doorframe, was blinking blankly and in surprise.

'Er, nice welcome to the room, Lily.'

'Reversi alohomora!' Lily cried. The door slammed shut.

'I see that you are, um, redecorating,' James said uneasily. He had never seen Lily this furious before. He hadn't even seen her furious before! Calling her a boy must have insulted her tremendously.

'I'll put them back to normal once I'm done with them.'

'Er, I want to ask… what was the song that you were humming when we were on our way down?' James said, sitting himself on the couch.

'Starry Night,' Lily replied. She paused. 'I think. How was it like anyway?'

'Not the usual nursery rhyme you sing,' James said helpfully.

'Yeah, I guess it is,' Lily said, putting her wand down.

Next question. 'How do you come to know it?'

'Hmm… Mother used to sing it whenever we were under a sky of sprinkled stars,' Lily said dreamily. 'Someday, I would want to sit under a starry night sky with my prince.'

Why is this sounding so familiar…?

'Okay. Anyway, dinner's ready,' James said. Lily made a face.

'I'll skip it. have to, erm, maintain my body figure,' Lily said, racking her head for an excuse girls usually use. She doesn't feel like seeing the Giggling Gooses again.

James obviously didn't believe her as he rolled his eyes at her. Lily's "figure" is nice enough. If she skip meals, she might turn into a skinny bone bag. Besides, she's those type of girls who can eat all they want and not affect their physical appearance. Also, Lily is what you can describe a food chomping machine.

'Don't lie. You're starving,' James said.

'I think I'd better practise some Charms now,' Lily said, picking up her wand again. Grrr….! James cocked his eye as Lily made a face that read "ack!"

'Yeah right. You're coming with me, Lily.'

~ * * ~

It has always been a miracle how Lily can just be not there when they were at the table. Everyone talked as if she wasn't there. Everyone joked, everyone laughed. Some of his 'quarter-cousins' even had the cheek to insult her!

But no one noticed Lily. No one asked her for second helpings. No one made her join in the fun. No one but James ever noticed her.

Lily. Lily, come _on_, join in,' James whispered, pushing some scallops onto her plate. Lily ignored him and pushed her food to one side of the plate. She seemed to be elsewhere—at least, her mind seem so.

'And that _girl_! What does she mean by Cruella de Vil?' Queen o' Hearts would say.

'She didn't make much sense in that speech,' Prunella would reply.

'But that's Lily,' Sirius would defend the girl. 'She's always that way! You can't blame her!'

'Pardon me, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, James and everyone else,' Lily said suddenly, standing up. 'I'm full. I wish to be excused, please.'

'Yes, yes, go ahead,' Edward said, taking another swig of butterbeer.

'Thanks.' With that, she walked away from the table, her head in the air.

'When did she come?' BillyGoose whispered.

'She was here all the time,' James snapped. 'You were the one who's so obstinate, with your cutting remarks. I'm not surprised at all that she left!'

'Then she should speak!'

'Dad, you saw her, didn't you?' James said. Edward looked up.

'She's a charming young lady. Beautiful girl, too,' his father said. 'Is she your girlfriend, James?'

'Daaaaaad!!!'

'Yes, yes, I saw her there… Sheesh, can't take a joke, can't you? But she _is_ a pretty one,' Edward said, winking secretly at James.

'DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!'

~ * * ~

Lily was reading her book peacefully when a knock sounded on her door. She groaned.

'Come in, James. It's not locked.'

Cindy walked into the room, closing the door behind her.

'Hello Mrs. Potter,' Lily said tonelessly, flipping the page.

'Lily, I notice you're _very_ close to James,' Cindy started.

'Correction, Mrs. Potter. I am NOT close to James. I barely know him, actually, and he barely knows me. We're just friends,' Lily said, her green eyes tracing the outlines of the printed wordings.

'I think you will be a nice girl to James,' Cindy said. 'And as his stepmother, I feel I have responsibility to know you closely.'

'Well, my names is Lily Evans, and I'm 15 – nearly 16 soon – in Gryffindor house in Hogwarts. Oh, I'm also a prefect and a Chaser in the house team. What good is that to you?' Lily said blankly.

Suddenly, Lily slapped her book on the bed and she jumped off it hurriedly.

'What?!' she cried. 'Me? A nice girl? To JAMES?!'

'I quite think so, Lily, and I'm sure my husband agrees with me.'

'But no!!! a friend I know loves James! And she's—'

'She's not here,' Cindy finished. 'James probably hasn't any feelings for her.'

'But I don't _love_ James!'

Cindy sighed. 'Well, I'm sure we can decide that later…'

'No,' Lily said firmly.

'And it IS too early to judge you, dear,' Cindy said. 'I'm sorry for bringing this topic up. See you tomorrow, Lily.'

Lily dropped back to her bed, stunned and paralyzed for words.

'Hey, what was that yelling all about?' James asked.

'Nothing. A bad dream.' Oh, she _wished_ it was a bad dream.

~ * * ~

James couldn't sleep. He stared at the clock on the wall. Two o' clock in the morning. What is happening?

Maybe he should get himself some food. Tibbles might be awake, knowing his master's stomach's cry for food at the odd hours of the day. James pulled into his robes and tiptoed into the dark corridor.

No, it's not really dark. There's light spilling from the room next to his. Lily's room. Is she awake too, like him? Well, one way to find out.

James knocked onto the door. He listened. There was a gasp, a sound of something dropping and some scrambling of papers.

Finally, Lily's voice called out, 'Who's there? I've got my wand, and I'm a near-certified witch cause I'd just completed my OWLs. Really dangerous; one you shouldn't mess with at all! Try and die!'

James grinned. What a welcome speech!

'It's James, Lily. Can I come in?'

The door was unlocked and Lily's pale face opened the door. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw James at the other side.

'Why're you up so late?' Lily yawned, closing the door.

'I should ask the same to you. Your lights are on, so I decided to check on you.'

'I fell asleep reading my storybook.'

'Oh. Sorry. I couldn't sleep.'

'No point in waking me up,' Lily said pointedly, yawning again.

James racked his brains. He had something to ask Lily… 'I was wondering if you could, uh, sing me that song. The Starry Night,' James said. 'It sounded pretty familiar to me.' Lily nodded sleepily.

I've waited all of my life  
For the day when love appears   
Like a fairy tale in days gone by   
He will rescue me from my fears 

And now I feel him standing close to me  
And how can I tell him what he means to me?   
My heart stands still... Has he come? 

Oh starry night   
Is this the moment I dream of?   
Oh starry night   
Tell me, is he my own true love? 

Every night, I think of him   
Here in my lonely room   
Waiting for my prince to come   
Wondering if he'll be here soon 

And I sit patiently, waiting for a sign   
And I hope that his heart longs for mine   
He calls my name... Has he come? 

Oh starry night   
Is this the moment I dream of?   
Oh starry night   
Tell me, is he my own true love?   
Oh starry night   
Is he the one that I dream of?

Oh starry night   
How will I know?   
Will his love show?   
Is he my own true love?

Lily's soprano voice brought flashbacks to James's first meeting with Cerulean. How alike both girls had sang the same song; and how alike Lily's tone of voice is to Cerulean's sweet voice…!

'Cerulean…?' James said in a daze. Lily, who was already half asleep (she was nodding already), woke up at once, her green eyes wide open.

'What?' she said at once. 'What did you just say, James?'

'… Cerulean… Lily, are you Cerulean?' James said, grasping Lily's shoulders. 'Are you that girl, always dressed in blue robes and mask ever Masquerade night at Hogwarts? Are you? Are you? Tell me!' At this point, he was already shaking her petite body furiously.

'Um… yes, I am dressed in blue… how did you…?' Lily stammered, shaken with fright at James's suddenly aggressive nature.

'I'm Night! _Night!_ You know me, Lily, don't you? I'm Night, and you're Cerulean!' James said, somewhat enthusiastically. Lily gasped for some air.

'It's always held at night, the Masquerade,' Lily managed to say in the midst of breathing for huge gales of oxygen.

'No!! I mean, Night! As in with the capital N! A **_name_**!' Instant _or rotoundo_ and a goldfish gape.

'You… are?'

'Yes!!! Why didn't you tell me you're her?'

'I – I didn't know that you- you were him,' Lily stammered, her eyes wide with fright. James smacked his head. Yeah, it's a masked party. How stupid can you get, Potter??

'So I—' James eyes went wide when he realized that he had confessed his love to the girl a day after Christmas. What were her words? Blind love. They don't _know_ each other. They are strangers.

Until now, at least. James's Christmas wish had been granted. His wish to know the girl behind the mask.

'And what was Cerulean's – no, _Lily's_ – words when he pleaded her to show her face? Till Destiny decides its time.

Meanwhile, Lily's mind was running wild with blur colours. James was Night. The mysterious boy she met every night of the Masquerade, from the very first day of the party. Night confessed his love to her. She rejected it.

It had been _James_ confessing his love to _Lily_. It had been _James_ whom _Lily_ had spent hours of nights with during the annual Masquerade. It had been _James_ whom she had secretly crushed on. It had also been the same person whom she, Lily Evans, was so dreamy and crazy over.

Her reason of rejection – and her best one – is knowing that a girl would be out there for him.

Now Destiny had unmasked them both. And it is her, whose fault it had all been. Her strong belief of a prince in fairytales. She had left out the fact that the princes in the tales were strangers to the princesses.

Stupid, _stupid_, **_stupid_**!

'Well,' Lily started, as calmly as she could, 'now that you know who Cerulean really is, I guess that the magic must have finished weaving its spell. Its continuos yarns among us has caused trouble to Lady Destiny. I take it, now, that it isn't much fun to know Cerulean, is it, without her mask?'

'Well, I…'

'I take you are disappointed, aren't you? Wishes do come true if you have faith to believe in them,' Lily whispered, tears stinging in her eyes. 'May I ask, did you wish that wish of yours on Christmas Eve on Christmas night?'

'Yes, but I don't see…'

'I wasn't there. I heard rumours that prefect's wishes will be granted. I ran off to my dormitory as promised. I don't want my wish to be granted.' Drip! A tear fell on the bed Lily was sitting on.

'Well…'

'Are you glad know, that you had known me finally—after all these years? Are you happy with the broken dreams?' Drip, drip!

'Lily…'

'I don't stay past midnight, because I don't want to know you. I don't want you to know me, either!' Drip, drip!

'Don't cry, Lily!'

'Fairytales are nice. They're in our lives; I know they are. But my fairytale will _never_ ever be finished.' Drip, drip, drip! Lily rubbed her watery eyes.

'Lily, please don't cry,' James begged.

'I _want_ to cry, because I _have_ to! I can't _stop_ it,' she whispered. Drip, drip!

'Lily, what are you talking about? Don't cry anymore!'

'Jen… call Jenny tomorrow… I'll go…'

'But- but _why_??' James replied in puzzlement. 'Why should I?'

'She loves you. Owl her. Or use Floo Network. And perhaps this is the last time we'll ever meet, Night. The last time you'll hear of me, the last time you'll ever see me. I'll be lost to you, forever.'

~*~

AN: hahaha. Who would have ever _thought_ that I could have been so cruel??? Lolz, no one, I bet :) this is a sort of cliffhanger I'm trying to do. Whether it is a cliffhanger or not, you're the one to decide ^_^ after all, I AM trying to write a cliffhanger! [*glares at Zowie who made bunny chan jealous with the Cliffhanger she can write*]. Blame Zowie. She made me green with envy with all her Cliffs. Some people just have the talent *grumble grumble*

Right. Everyone guessed. And they guessed right. Well, James and Lily _have _to be dunderheads and blurry in this story! After all, I made a mind to have at least ONE oblivious character, and, if it isn't Sirius/Remus/Peter, it'll have to be the couple. And as for not noticing each other, er, they're too busy. No one's a genius in this story, see :) and they obviously DON'T know that this story's meant for L/J especially, so they can't tell that it's the other. It could be someone else, if the writer isn't me! ^_~ lol, I'm making myself sound stupid!

Please review for me!!! Thanks, in advance and in the past ^_^ *considers* should I beg and plead? No, I'll say "please" and be nice to everyone.


	5. It Is You That Counts

Masquerade

_Loving is not easy; it has a price to pay  
Yet what can cost more than a lover's kiss?  
My love yonder, in your hands now, they  
Will you be mine if I say please?_

**Chapter 5: It Is You That Counts  
  James's head spun painfully as Lily's words sunk into him. Lily? Out of his life? Forever…?**

  'No, Lily! Don't! Please, don't!' James cried, hugging her tightly.

  Lily laughed bitterly. 'Don't be silly. Of course I will. I can disappear at will. I won't be there at all. You'll see me, but you won't notice me. It's not that hard. Come, let me show it to you. Let go of me, please.' Drip, drip!

  'No! Because as soon as I do so, you won't come back. Please, don't, Lily! I- I love you, Lily,' James pleaded.

  'You should say that to Jenny. She loves you. Besides, you love Cerulean, remember? Not Lily Evans. _Never Lily Evans,' Lily said gently. Drip! 'Oh, look, I'm wetting your robes with my tears. It'll be soggy and salty soon. Do leave now, James. I might want to flood this room soon.'_

  'Promise me you'll never _ever leave,' James said. Lily shook her head sadly._

  'Did I ever tell you that I have a gift from Heavens, James?' Lily said in a sullen, sad voice. 'I can disappear. I never tell anyone that. You can guess, I'm sure, but you won't be sure about it. I can disappear just in your eyes and it'll be your eyes only. I can vanish just like that, without a single trace. I can evaporate from the face of Earth, do just to do whatever I want—to live in peace.'

  'Lily…' James hugged her even more tightly, not caring if he squeeze the breath out of her. All the better to keep her from talking, anyway.

  'I can disappear, right now, too. But I won't and I can't. Do you know why?'

  'Because you're staying with me?' James said hopefully.

  'Wrong. Because you're _holding me. I'll "bring" you with me, if I do disappear. Please, let me go!' Lily begged, as a fresh bucket of tears form in her eyes again._

  'I won't, Lily, I won't,' James said. 'If I have to hug you this way the whole night, I will. Do _you know why?'_

  'You want to come with me,' Lily whispered. 'But you can't. Because Jenny's here for you. She's waiting for you.'

  'I don't love her, Lily! I love you! I really, really, do!'

  'You love Cerulean.' Flat.

  'I do, but I love you, too. There's such thing as chemicals in the muggle world, which I'm sure – no, I'm 100% positive – that you know about. Or mathematics, whatever. It's the same way with love. If I love you, and I love Cerulean, and I find that you are both the same person, I love you even more than I do before!' James said brightly. Aha! Amen for the arithmancy classes! _Thank you_, Professor Vector!

  Lily could only laugh bitterly at that. 'How funny. I love you, I love night. But disappointment overwhelmed me when you know I'm Cerulean.'

  'Because you're not clear,' James said firmly. 'You're not sure of yourself.' 

  'This is so crappy… it's nearly three, you're in my room, hugging me and talking to me about love,' Lily said, sniffling. 'I should be the dreamer here. What would Sirius, Remus and Peter think? What would your cousins think? What about your parents?'

  'They can think all they like, then. Promise me, my fairytale princess, that you will never ever leave me,' James whispered.

  Lily turned away from him, not willing to make that promise. James cupped her face with his hands and gently placed a full kiss on her lips, drinking all the sweet taste in had, mixed with her salty tear stains. Lily froze before she respond to it…

~ * * ~

  'What's wrong with you two? James looked like he's dead sleepy and Lily looked like she's crying!' Remus said, when he walked into the living room next morning, where James was reading the morning paper and Lily staring sullenly at the ceiling.

  'Who wants food?' Sirius called, holding up a dish of tarts.

  'Hey!' James cried. 'When did you find the kitchens??? You're not supposed to!'

  'Darn easy, James, darn easy,' Peter grinned. 'We took a wrong turning to the living room and found the kitchens. Your house-elves were nice.'

  'Stupid muggle contractor,' James muttered, returning to his paper. 'We told him to get it hidden, and what did that idiot say? "I'll be trapped in it, then!" Haven't he heard of working outside in?'

  'What with you, Lily? You crying?' Sirius said, staring at Lily's blank face. 'Hmm… Let me guess, James had a fight with you this morning, right?'

  Lily shook her head dumbly, still staring at the ceiling.

  'He bullied you,' Peter suggested. Again, Lily shook her head.

  'Let's see… did he make you cook him food, but you don't know how to, yes?' Remus suggested. She shook her head, again.

  'This is _his_ house, stupid,' Sirius said.

  'Oh. Yeah.'

  'What, you all think I'm a big bully?' James shot, pretty much insulted.

  'Exactly,' Peter said.

  'Then what is it? Why are you so upset? You look like a rabbit!' Sirius said to Lily.

  'Goo ga goo! Goo ga goo!' little Jason cried, crawling into the room. Lily turned her gaze at him solemnly.

  'Goo goo ga ga!' the two-year-old kid cried, trying to pull Lily's red hair again. Lily ignored him. The boy tugged at it. Lily calmly prised his fat fingers from her red braid.

  'What's wrong with her today?' Peter whispered worriedly.

  'Alright James, what'd you do to her that made her so upset? You know we won't kill you!' Remus said, pulling the paper from James.

  'I didn't do anything! I came down to read the paper, that's all!' James said. 'If that's even a crime, I'll kill myself!'

  Sirius sighed wistfully. 'Unfortunately for us, it isn't. I'd dearly love to see how you will kill yourself. You hate blood, you hate pain, you hate heights, you fail at knots… and you still want to live. Wish I could see you kill yourself.'

  James snorted before grabbing the paper from Remus.

  'Good morning! Up early, boys?' SnowQueen (another of Lily's fancy nickname to James's cousins) said flirtatiously to them.

  'Boys?' Peter choked, uneasily pointing at Lily who's at the corner. 'She's a girl, in case you forgot.'

  'Aw, Peter, you're all boys!' the girl said, batting her eyelashes at them. The boys eyed Lily nervously. She was playing with Jason quietly in a hidden corner, her face as lifeless as a stone.

  They coughed loudly, so that (in high hopes) Lily didn't hear that comment.

  'James, would you take me out to buy some robes? You know my birthday is coming, and I need some new robes,' SnowQueen purred silkily. James and his friends' hair all stood at its ends in fright. A boys' worst fear – theirs, at least – is shopping. With _girls, of all things of embarrassment!_

  'Um, you don't need us for that, right?' James said nervously. 'I mean, you go yourself and we'll tell Cindy that you left.'

  'Honey, of _course you're coming with me!' SnowQueen purred._

  Ugh!!!!! James mentally threw up with disgust.

  'I can come with you, if you like,' Lily said. 'I need some… robes.' 

  SnowQueen eyed at Lily's spotless white skirt (she seem to have a thing for them), the black belt on her waist and the neat, pressed sailor-like shirt Lily wore. Her two bright red braids were hanging from behind her ear, a white ribbon tied at the end of each one.

  SnowQueen made a face.

  'You?' the girl said scornfully. 'Where did you come from? You weren't in this room earlier!'

  'I have been here most of the time, in fact. If you want a company for shopping, I can be one,' Lily said in a lifeless tone; one with equal distaste for the other girl.

  'Thanks, but I think I've decided against it,' SnowQueen said, flipping her black hair arrogantly.

  'Fine, then. Would you boys like to come with me? you can point me to a good shop,' Lily said, turning to the boys. 'After that, you can leave me there. I'll find my way here.'

  They were only too glad to agree with Lily. Lily had a well-known reputation of shopping phobia. Most probably she'll just pick out a random robe and pay for it at once.

  Lily shot a triumph look at SnowQueen, who was looking absolutely furious at Lily. Pulling a face at the girl cheekily, Lily ran upstairs to retrieve her broom.

~ * * ~

  Just as the boys had predicted, as soon as Lily walked into the shop, she began to shiver. Hurriedly, the girl ran off to find a dress robes, ran to the cashier, dumped the right amount of money at the counter and left hurriedly.

  'Are you sure that'll fit?' Peter asked.

  'Yes,' came the short reply.

  'Don't you want to try it?' Remus asked.

  'No. The colour's wrong.'

  'Then why buy it?' James asked in surprise.

  'To give it to SnowQueen for her birthday.'

  'What?!'

  'SnowQueen. Don't know her real name. I'll give her this for her birthday. How suitable: black, evil and cold,' Lily mused, mounting on her broomstick. 'A perfect match for our beautiful SnowQueen.'

  'There's something wrong with you today,' Sirius said, frowning. 'What happened to that daily humming of "Sing a song of sixpence" every morning? I mean, it's because of IT that I actually memorized that stupid rhyme!'

  'Yeah, and it's already ten,' Peter said, looking at his watch.

  'Someone took the Lily we know,' Remus supplied wisely. 'Perhaps James knows. Do you, James?'

  'No,' James said. 'Lily, can we talk for a moment? Privately?' The other boys shrugged and went on their way to James's house. James landed his broom on the rood. Lily sat next to him.

  'What is it now? I've promised you that I won't leave you,' Lily said stonily. 'I've promised to be your princess. I've promised that I'll be with you, always and forever. And I've betrayed Jenny's trust in me. what else do you want me to do? Be your slave? I'm terribly sorry, James, but I really can't comply to that.'

  'No… I just want to say thank you, for saving me from Brenda,' James said, 'SnowQueen to you.'

  'Oh. You're welcome.'

  'And…'

  'Be your slave? Dream on, James! I don't live to lick shoes!'

  'No! I want you to be back your normal self! I mean, you're not Lily when you're this way!' James said. Lily laughed softly.

  'So, you've decided that you don't love me this way,' she said softly.

  'No!! Of course not! I mean, I love you this way and any way for all the matter! But- it's just that you're not happy this way! I know you aren't, after knowing you for – what, five years? Anyway, just go back to yourself, kay? I know you well, Lily,' James said. Lily smiled.

  'I guess you still are able to see through,' she said. 'But I feel I needn't repeat what I have told you the night you declare you "undying" love to Cerulean.'

  'Oh, and one more thing, Lily.'

  'What is it now? Is it really _is "be my slave", Potter, you are looking at death in its face.' James ignored that sarcastic comment._

  'Will you be my girlfriend?'

~ * * ~

  'We're back!' James said, walking into the house.

  'Where'd you two go?' Sirius asked. 'The SnowQueen girl was hunting for you—so thank goodness you weren't here!' He prodded James. 'Looks like your Divination skill is finally working, eh?'

  'And I quote, "Where's James??? With that red-headed tomboy??? Where did they go???" unquote,' Peter said pleasantly.

  'She nearly strangled the three of us, when she didn't see you. She even whipped out her wand, ready to march out to look for you, when she didn't see Lily!' Remus laughed. 'We cursed her.'

  'I bet, by Peter's face, you turned her into a birdbath and placed her in the garden?' James guessed.

  'Righto!! She look so _beautiful_!!!!!!' Peter grinned sarcastically.

  'Hello, children!' Cindy greeted. 'The girls are leaving for a shopping spree. Are you coming, Lily dear?'

  'Dear?!' Lily nearly choked. James coughed, Remus sneezed, Peter gagged and Sirius snorted.

  'I was hoping that you will, Lily,' Cindy said encouragingly.

  'Um, I just came back from the shops, Mrs. Potter. Thank you, all the same,' Lily said politely to her hostess. Cindy's face fell.

  'It's okay. Enjoy yourself, children! By the way, did anyone see Brenda?'

  'Birdbath,' Peter sniggered, when she left. The five friends burst out laughing. Edward Potter popped into the room.

  'Ahem. Boys. Oh, hello Lily. I thought you left with the girls,' Edward said, catching sight of the girl.

  'No, Mrs Potter. I've done my, um, shopping,' Lily said. Sirius and Remus were doing a very annoying dance and whispers of "liar liar pants on fire~!"

  'Now boys, mind if I borrow James for a while?' Edward said. The boys shook their heads. 'No? Well now, thank you! I will return him as soon as I'm done with him!'

  'Think it's because we found the kitchens?' Peter whispered nervously.

  'Nah! Probably about something else,' Sirius said, jabbing a finger at Lily, who was pulling her hair from little Jason's clutches.

~ * * ~

  'Now James,' Edward said, sitting at his table. 'Who is this Lily Evans? Is she your girlfriend?'

  James groaned. His father sounded like some dad who'd intercepted the son's letter from a girl. How ironic.

  'DAD!'

  'Do you like her? What's her traits? Personalities? Hair colour?'

  James rolled his eyes. His father is so… absent minded!

  'What is her specialty? Age? Talents? Date of birth? Place of birth? Parents?'

  'Dad, why're you asking all these- these _rubbish?' James cut._

  'Why? Oh, why! Well, Cindy could get barely much information from her last night. I was wondering if it'll be nice to have this girl as my daughter-in-law. She certainly seem jolly enough,' Edward said, shuffling the desk parchments.

  'We're barely related,' James said, carefully as to not to disclose the fact that they're an "item" now.

  'Do you like her? As in… love?'

  'Huh? Oh. Yeah. Why?' James Potter, you're doing an utterly useless job now. It's amazing how stupidity can get even worse than it originally was. Might as well tell the truth now.

  'Why do you like her, James? Now, honest answers, please.' His father is sounding like how he always did when questioning those prime suspects of a case. Judges. Hmph.

  'Because- because…' James dug his mind for an answer. 'Because she's her. She's sweet, dad, and I'm sure you'll like her, too. If you hadn't already, that is.'

  'What does that mean?' Edward asked, spilling his coffee over his parchment stack clumsily.

  'Well, she's got a nice imagination, faith, sweet and, well, she's her,' James said, ending it with a shrug.

  'Explain that,' Edward said, munching on some cookies and dropping the crumbs all over. James couldn't believe it. His father. A genius. So downright clumsy. And a high judge, too. Ugh… How can that happen?

  'She's not just _anyone, dad. She's intelligent, she's funny, she's pretty, a little mysterious—' James smiled here, remembering Cerulean—'and has a great imagination (like I'd said). Her weakness, I think, is just that she dreams too much and can get a little hot-tempered. Also, she's a little lazy.' He reflected back to the time when Lily gave Professor Sprout and excuse for not finishing her homework in Herbology. Then he remembered __his excuse: The devil ate my homework, leaving a gash in my arm as its "Thank You" sign._

  'Yes, yes, love is without fault, James,' Edward said, clumsily wiping the cookie crumbs with his new silk tie. 'But she seem fine to me. a little over-tempered – yes – and slow and dreamy, that girl is. Run along now, James. And do call Tibbles and Wiggles to clean up this mess! How did it come by?'

~ * * ~

'Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye,  
Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie,  
When the pie was opened the birds began to sing,  
Wasn't that a dainty dish to set before a king,' Lily sang.

'I was sitting in my counting room counting all my money,  
You waltzed in suddenly and drank up all my honey,  
Your song is burning up some great gigantic holes,  
Oh, how can I ever go play songs with my nose?' Sirius sang in addition of mockery to Lily's first verse. Lily glared at him.

  'Goo ga ba bi boo!' Jason cried. 'Bi bi!'

  'He likes it!' Sirius said, beaming. 

  'Bi bi!'

  'Told you that you were bad in singing, Lily,' Sirius smirked. Remus giggled.

  'Lee lee!' Jason cried. 'Lee lee!!!'

  'Oh, did you hear that?' Lily said excitedly. 'Lily!!!'

  'Lily!' the two-year-old repeated. 'Lily! Lily! Lily!'

  'He knows my name!' Lily announced proudly. 'Say Lily, Jason!'

  'No!! Don't say Lily!' Sirius yelled.

  'Lily! Lily!' the young boy cried. Lily patted him on the head, giving him a rattle. He shook it, crying Lily's name all the time happily.

  'What's that noise? Ugh!! Jason! What are you _doing_ with that rattle??? No!!!!! No!!! Don't throw it!!!' James cried, entering the living room. Jason's rattle sailed neatly over, hit the sofa and fell down.

  'Lily! Lily!' he cried.

  'Yeah, yeah, I'll get it for you,' Lily said. 'Wingardium leviosa!'

  'Hey James, looks like your brother took a liking to Lily,' Peter said, turning to his friend. 'He even knew how to call her name!'

  'Really? Hey Jason, say James!' James said. 'James!'

  'Games!' Jason cried.

  'No, James!'

  'Jay-ems.'

  'James!'

  '_James_!!!' Jason cried finally.

  'Hah!!!' James smirked at his friends self-righteously.

  'James! Lily! James! Lily!' Jason cried, obviously joyful at learning two new words.

  'About time he learn how to speak. He's very slow for his age,' James said. 'Babies learn to speak at one, not two.'

  'Why did you father call you for?' Remus asked.

  'Something.'

  'Tell us. It couldn't be _that_ important!' Peter said.

  'It is to me!' James retorted.

  'What is it about, then? Just the topic,' Sirius said. 'ONLY the topic.'

  'Shan't tell! Find out yourself!' James said, childishly pulling a face at his friends.

  'Shan't!' Jason giggled. 'Find! Shan't!' He tried to pull his face like his half brother's and failed horribly.

  'He's learning quite fast today,' James said in amazement. 'He couldn't even say anything before this but baby gurgles!'

  'Thing!' Jason gurgled, pulling at Lily's plaits again.

  'Ow! Ow, ow, ow! Lemme go!!! Let me go!!!' Lily shrieked, grabbing her hair. James pulled Jason's stubby fingers off sharply.

  'Lily! Lily!' Jason cried in a rather whimpery fashion.

  'I hate babies!' Lily muttered, stomping off huffily back to her room.

  'What exactly is wrong with her anyway?' Remus asked in confusion.

~ * * ~

  'Oh, Lily, what have you _done?_' Lily groaned to herself. 'You're now James's girlfriend, you idiot! And Jenny trusted _you_ and told you her secret crush on him!! You're such an idiot, Lily. I'll be amazed if there's another human being as stupid as you are! How're you going explain this all to Jenny?'

  Lily buried her face onto the fluffy down pillow, groaning about how stupid she is, how careless she let her emotion fly and bla, bla, bla.

  'You should write her a letter, Lily,' the girl scolded herself. 'She's you friend, and you hadn't written her a letter yet. But, I can't!!!! I'll have to explain to her that she's not invited here, and how I had agreed to be James's girlfriend and all that stuff! You stupid, stupid goose!' She buried her face onto the pillow again.

  Knock, knock!

  'Who's there?' Lily's muffled voice called.

  'Are you fine, dear? Can I come in for a chat?' Cindy's voice floated in.

  'Sure, Mrs. Potter,' Lily said at once, pulling herself together with a sharp warning to her other self (the one she's scolding) that she'll get back to it soon.

  Cindy walked into the room in a green hat, purple robes and yellow shoes. Lily felt like laughing out loud, but controlled herself rather stiflingly. The lady shut the door and sat on the couch. She patted at the seat next to hers. Lily gulped before sitting on it.

  'I notice you don't mix with my nieces,' she started.

  'No, I don't.' Lily bit her tongue to stop it from slipping off to "Of course not! They're villains! I'm the good guy!!". Instead, she said, 'I don't, um, I mean, I'm not really fond of them.'

  'Which, I think, makes you an even better choice as James's girlfriend,' Cindy said, nodding. Lily jumped and nearly forgot her manners. Not that she has much of those to sing praises of, though.

  'W-what do you mean, Mrs. Potter?' she stammered.

  'I would really like you to be James's girlfriend, dear. You look so cute together,' Cindy said. Lily shivered. She really don't like the way this conversation is turning. She don't even _like_ this conversation at all!

  'Sorry, Mrs. Potter, but James and I are just friends…'

  'I know. You've told me that. If you would like anything – tips, hints or such – dear, come to me,' Cindy said, standing up. She placed a wrapped box on the glass table. 'Enjoy your stay, dear. Here's a present for you.'

  When Cindy left, Lily stared at the present curiously. What is it? Why'd she get it? Did those Giggling Gooses receive it, too?

  'Who cares,' Lily said, shaking it a little. 'A present's wrapped to be opened, and open it I must.' She pulled the petite ribbons and tore the white wrapper. Lily held out a little ring made of a delicate flower stem, a tiny white flower on it. Lily slipped it on happily before dozing on the couch sleepily.

~ * * ~

  James muttered curses under his breath as he copied the notes from his Herbology textbook. He hated Herbology. What use is there in learning how the Venustulla Plant captures its enemy? This subject is soooooo stupid!

  And he had to do two rolls of parchment essay on how that Venustulla Plant captures and digest a ladybird. Ugh!

  'Hello, James,' Lily said suddenly, almost in a purring tone. James jumped up in surprise as his skin pricked with goosebumps.

  'Oh. You. I thought it was Brenda again. You know, she always talks like that. Why didn't you knock first, Lil?' Lily ignored him.

  'What are you doing, James?'

  'The cursed subject of plants, in which is no use to me except how to grow vegetables. What are _you_ doing in here, huh? I thought you were in your room, brooding over babies like Jason!'

  Lily didn't say anything. She pulled him into a deep kiss suddenly, frightening James out of his wits as Lily's warm arms snaked up his neck, hugging him tightly. She parted her lips to let her tongue slip into his mouth before playing with it teasingly.

  James jumped.

  'What- what's happening?' he gasped. 'What went into you? Are you _possessed?_'

  'I love you, James,' Lily whispered thickly. James brows formed a line of puzzlement.

  'Yeah, well, I know that. But what's making you so sick suddenly? Something you ate? You're not like- like _this.'_ She just hugged him even tightly in reply. James yanked her away at once.

  'You're freaking me out, Evans!' he scolded. 'What did you eat anyway? A Venustulla?' Oh great, now his mind is infested by that plant! Lily shrugged.

  'Nothing,' she replied, brushing her fringe aside. James's eyes traced to the ring on Lily's finger. Smelling a foul prank, he grabbed her finger.

  'What's this? You didn't have this with you just now. You don't even own any jewelry, as far as I'd known, save a plastic necklace and a pair or two of earrings!' James said.

  'Cindy gave it.' James pulled it out to inspect it.

  'Have some sorta smell. Ugh! Lily, I thought you were allergic to perfume! I'm amazed that this stench didn't make you catch a flu!' James winced. 'Still, it smelled weird…' Lily stared at him blankly.

  'What?'

  'Smells like some potion… I think it's some love potion of some sort…'

  'What???' Lily repeated. 'Why'm I in your room? What's that? What're you doing to me?' Lily cried, shaking herself out of James's grasp.

  '_You_ are asking _me_?! You came into _my _room without knocking and tried to seduce me!' James cried incredously.

  'I did not! I was in my room!' Lily protested. 'My head's a little dizzy… ow… what did I do? Sleepwalk?'

  'Do you usually?'

  'Nope. Never had, but I did once, when I was seven. Petunia sorta dragged me back into the room and locked me in,' Lily replied. 'What happened? What am I doing in- in _your_ room?'

  'Does someone sleepwalk with their eyes open? Do you-- I mean, have you?'

  'Gracious, no! I'd be a goldfish, then!' she cried. 'Answer my question! Hurry, or I'll scream!'

  James hurriedly filled her in with all the details. Lily's line of frown on her forehead arched deeper and deeper.

  'Me?! Come into the room without knocking?! That's ridiculous!!!' she screeched. James hushed her at once. She dropped to a whisper. 'Sorry, but that's NOT – I repeat, N-O-T – me!'

  'I know. I figure that there's a spell to this ring,' James said, holding out the flower-ring. 'Best is dump it off now.' He tossed it into the rubbish bin under his desk. Lily stared as he went back to copying his notes, as if nothing had ever happened.

  'Um, James? Do you, er, like me? I mean, when I was, erm, _that_ way a while ago?' Lily said, blushing feverishly. Her cheeks were even burning by now. She added hastily, 'You don't have to answer me that, of course.' James turned to her and stared at her for some time, frowning.

  'You could do with that happy look three hours ago,' he said at last. 'And I'll always like you, because you're you, not because you're possessed by some potion. I'll like you any way you are because I love you. Like I'd said, it's really you that count. Come to think of it, Cindy has to answer to some questions to giving you love potion.'

  Lily turned scarlet.

~*~

AN: This is not me. NOT me. This is NOT bunny chan who wrote it, get it?? Well, okay, it IS bunny chan, but … alright, it's her ROMANTIC side, get it? Yeah, okay. It IS her, but it isn't the REAL her, because one of her personality had crept out and took over her mind whilst she was writing this chapter. Ugh, she's getting mentally crazy now!

And no, please, this is not the next step to a new story (YET) because it's not finished! There's just one more chapter—only ONE more chapter and one more verse of poem at the top before the title ^_^ AND [didn't think you'd gotten off yet, huh?] another poem at the end. After that, you're free from my wrath [for a moment, anyway] until I get to typing up my NEXT L/J which isn't as good as this one…

Please review for me? I need to stop myself from getting into a mental hospital!!!! *eyes watering as she stares upon everyone* Please?


	6. Destiny’s Wish

Masquerade

_Destiny decides, bringing you to me  
For years we have avoided; only a couple of "Hello to thee!"  
Yet our bond strengthens, so fate says to me  
Tell me you love me; you and I are now "we"_

**Chapter 6: Destiny's Wish  
  'Happy birthday, Brenda!' Cindy greeted, handing a wrapped present to her niece. SnowQueen (in case you'd forgotten, that's Lily's nickname to her) snatched it and tore it open hurriedly to see what Cindy had given her. Her other cousins handed her their presents, too, and all wrapped boxes met the very same fate.**

  'Where's my present?' SnowQueen demanded to Lily. Lily glared at her coldly. She answered in a highly dignified voice:

  'I barely even knew you. Why should I get you a present at all?'

  'If you don't have a present, leave my party!' SnowQueen yelled rudely.

  'Spoil brat,' Lily said to her in a rude manner, too. 'I will leave, all the same,' she said in an elegantly snobbish tone.  'I never have tie for such low subjects as _you_!' Lily turned off huffily, pulling her deep blue robes as if she were a princess in a magnificent ball gown. 'By the way, _subject_, your present is by the candelabra.'

  Edward Potter chuckled good-naturedly. 'Impressive, Lily, very impressive. But do stay for the party. You'll spoil our fun if you leave.'

  The Marauders stifled their laughter when Lily sniffed pompously.

  'Very well. As his highness Mr. Potter had begged me from returning to my royal chambers, I shall stay,' Lily said, sending a victorious smirk to SnowQueen, who bared her teeth at Lily. Lily stuck her tongue at her, all air lost.

  James was choking for oxygen, his throat stuck with bursting laughter, when Lily marched towards them happily. She grinned at her friends. It's good enough that Lily hadn't ventured on to Old English. Those William Shakespeare type, which I think many are quite, quite familiar with.

  'Wonderful, aren't I?' she asked.

  'Beautiful,' Peter giggled. 'Simply brilliant! I love that face on SnowQueen – that hatred look.'

  'Oh, did you bring me any presents?' SnowQueen purred in a sickly sweet tone, gliding towards them.

  Lily considered changing her name to Cheshire Cat.

  'No,' Sirius said.

  'Didn't have enough money,' Remus said not-too-miserably. As if proud that he hadn't the money to buy her a present, which he is.

  'Didn't buy,' James said, swallowing the burst of giggles that threaten to bomb from his throat. SnowQueen just smiled sweetly at them.

  'It's okay, boys. How about a kiss from each of you? I'll love you all dearly for that, sweetie pie!' she said huskily, winking at them. Lily rolled her eyes towards Heaven. What happened to the rude tone and demands of leaving the party, huh? Maybe Cheshire Cat should really be hers… probability of 60%.

  'Really? I'll steal your first kiss,' James said, grinning deviously. Lily's eyes darted back towards Earth as her heart sank to the ground and began digging. What was it James said? Did he really mean to kiss that obnoxious flirt?

  Well, Lily said huffily to herself as she walked away towards the refreshments, that'll be James's problem, then. That jerk has got _nothing_ to do with her. Besides, it seem as if her heart is ready to bury itself from the world anytime now.

  Lily stepped behind a pillar to hear SnowQueen's gush of sigh.

  'I'd love you forever, my charming prince, should you steal my first kiss,' the girl was heard murmuring. Lily gritted at the word "prince". James was _HER_ prince! What happened to copyrights? Lily noticed that, meanwhile, Remus, Peter and Sirius had ran away to the refreshment tables. Traitors.

  'Really?' James was heard saying. 'I wasn't expecting that.'

  Lily turned away as SnowQueen bent her head a little to receive her kiss. She really couldn't bear to see it any much longer. James's voice had that "serious tone" in it. After all that was said to her the past two weeks, did James ever mean them…? Did he ever mean what he had said? It's all kissy-kissy and lovey-dovey words.

  But Lily had never wondered if James was just playing games with her heart. How could she have forgotten; lost after a few kisses, promises and hugs?

  She fingered the silver-blue mask she had brought with her, inside her robes pocket. Numbly, Lily placed it over her green eyes and charmed her robes colour to flaming red and her hair into strawberry blonde. That should be pretty hard to recognize by her friends. They certainly don't have the weird eye or brain that seventh year boy, Alastor Moody, had. Truly, Moody can think weirdly sometimes, and he seemed to be able to see past almost every enchantment and charms! Charmingly wicked, as Jenny would have said.

  Carefully and casually, Lily walked out in her new disguise. There was James, talking happily to his father, SnowQueen next to him. Lily ignored them and went straight to Sirius, who was mumbling something to himself and looking high and low for something.

  'Sirius,' Lily started. Sirius turned to stare at her.

  'This is a masquerade?' he asked bluntly. 'Hullo, who're you anyway?'

  'Er, no, not a masquerade. I was just bored. I would like to know if James and Snow - uh!! Brenda! - kissed,' Lily said, fidgeting.

  'James? SnowQueen? Kiss?!' Sirius burst out laughing. 'Never in a million years, girl! Believe me, I think he has eyes for only Lily. That's what I think, anyway, but leave him alone. If it's not Lily, then it's probably some other girl from Hogwarts. No use flirting with him now. You might end up like SnowQueen!'

  'Er, what happened?'

  'Find it out yourself. Seen Lily anywhere?'

  'I- I think she left for her "royal chambers",' Lily said in a haughtier voice. 'Stupid, erm, git.'

  'Watch I don't curse you!' Sirius snapped. 'Lily's MY friend and my best friend's girlfriend (so I think, but who cares?)! Insult her and you'll get it from me!'

  'Er, yeah. Okay,' Lily said nervously, quite taken aback by Sirius's sudden violent character. She moved on to Peter, who was nearby. 'Did you see James?' she said in her best flirting voice. It sounded like she'd gone for some splatting game and lost in it horrendously.

  'There, with SnowQueen,' Peter said carelessly. 'He's in some mood at the moment. Don't go near him.' Lily turned to James's direction. Sure enough, he seemed bothered and annoyed about something. Lily muttered her thanks and turned to Remus.

  This is odd. Why is she, Lily Evans, walking around James's friends, asking about James? Dimwitting, really. She knew she's his princess (so she had known), he's her prince (absolutely true) and they're both destined to be together (not yet confirmed), but Lily had never felt so foolish in her life (certainly true to the core)!

  'Remus, I would like to ask you about- about James and Brenda,' Lily said in a polished voice. 'Did James really, uh, kiss Brenda? I saw Lily a while ago and she said so.' Talking in third person is never harder for Lily.

  'Nah! It's just a sarcastic whisper in SnowQueen's ear. Trust Jimmy to give up his first kiss with some flirt!' Remus said good naturedly. He paused. 'Hang on. Who did you say told you that?' the boy asked urgently.

  'Lily Evans. She's that redheaded kid with tomboyish, um, ways,' Lily said uneasily. Remus glared. Lily was expecting that (glare).

  'Just because you're some sore loser,' he said with a tiny hint of sarcasm. After all, Remus Lupin is never much of sarcasm himself. 'Lily's a great chaser on Gryffindor's Quidditch team. She's an asset, believe me. Uh, where was Lily heading again?'

  'Oh,' was all Lily could say. There was a pause, as she realized that Remus was directing the question to her. 'Er, she said something about chambers of some sort.' With that, Lily scurried off hurriedly, feeling more of an idiot than she had already felt. Removing her mask from her face, she sighed.

  Should she trust the boys? They're pretty well known liars and pranksters, except to Lily and Jenny, but Lily wasn't posing as Lily just now. No doubt that they intend to trick the next girl that asks them about James again. Still... they MIGHT be right. Maybe she should just ask SnowQueen herself.

  Lily hesitated.

  No, she shouldn't. She'll just let _James_ answer her. That's what fairytale princesses do, right? Sit in their tower – or room, whatever it is they're in – and wait patiently for the impending answer to their blank future. Maybe Lily should just copy them again. After all, it still sounded logically logic to her.

  Humming a slow beat of "Oh Starry Night", Lily went back to the pillar where her heart was "buried." For the meantime, anyway. She might want to dig it up and bury it in a better place than this stone-cold floor. The Hogwarts Lake sound nice and romantic and probably is a graveyard to other ladies like her.

  She slumped tiredly behind it and began tracing her finger over the red carpet. It was _soooo_ boring! When are they cutting the cake? And why aren't there any party games? Oh, maybe wizards just don't have party games. Probably don't even know it, for that matter!

  Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock…

  Sigh, the clock's tickings are boring too. Everything is so boring. Maybe she'd better remove her disguise. Blonde never go along with green eyes all that well. Not with her tan complexion anyway. It looked totally… funny.

  Lily closed her eyes tiredly, the clock's tick tock-ing (hmm… like the crocodile in Peter Pan, yes?) and the party guests's chattering (Sound like fairies. Fairies? Here?? Haha!) fading into a dark black hole.

~ * * ~

  Lily stirred up blearily. She was moving. Someone's carrying her. She could hear that someone's heartbeat. Thump, thump, thump, thump. Steady, at least. Lily's blurry eyes turned up to the someone's face. And she blinked the sleep out.

  'Hi Lily! G'morning!' James greeted cheerily.

  'Is it really morning?' Lily mumbled, snuggling deeper into his arms. She's freezing. Numb. Where on earth was her blankie anyway?

  'Of course not, you idiot! What are you doing behind that pillar? Remus and Sirius both said that you were in your room! Are you planning to catch a cold? Or perhaps, _die_ of cold??'

  'No, but they say stupid people don't get sick.' James snorted.

  'Yeah, stupid or not, you get sick all the time!'

  There was the Silence.

  'James?'

  'Yes?'

  "Did you kiss SnowQueen?' Lily murmured. She was almost unheard and James's ear was straining to catch the sound waves. After interpreting the "mm mmm hmm mmmm?" He snorted again.

  'Did I? Do you think I did?' James asked in a rather hurt manner and placed her on her bed. Lily rolled over and peeked out of her eyelids.

  'Maybe. Maybe.'

  'Oh great, I'm so hurt! Maybe I really ought to kiss her now,' James said and made a move to get up. Lily managed to grab his robes and shook her head slowly.

  'Please, don't. I'm tired. Good night,' Lily murmured before drifting back to dream world. James smiled, pecked on her cheeks and drew the covers over.

  'Sweet dreams, my fairytale princess.'

~ * * ~

  'Jenny! Hey, d'you remember that favour you asked me to do last term?' Remus said when he met Jenny at the Hogwarts Express in her compartment. That way, his friends wouldn't know of Jenny's crush and whatever else that Jenny wouldn't trust them idiot Marauders with.

  'Of course I remember! Well, did you manage to find out?' Jenny said, eagerness pasted all over her face.

  'I don't think you're going to like it at all…'

  'Oh?'

  'You're NOT going to like it…'

  'I'm not? Well, what is it?'

  'You're really really not going to like it…'

  'Just say it!'

  'Uh, yeah. From what I'd heard from Sirius, Lily and James are talking 'bout this girl called Cerulean,' Remus said. Jenny's face fell. Then she brightened up.

  'There's no one in this school by that name,' Jenny said cheerfully.

  'No,' Remus agreed, 'but I think it's a nickname. I guess I've done you your favour. See you later.'

  'Bye.' Slam. The compartment door was shut.

  Cerulean. The colour of deep, clear blue. Like sky blue. Whoever in Hogwarts have such nickname? Colour of eyes? Too many to be specific. Hair? Haha. Robes? Everyone wears black in school, save Masquerade parties… So whom?

~ * * ~

  'Lily, do you know anyone called Cerulean?' Jenny asked during breakfast next morning. Lily spluttered her orange juice over the table. It (the table) creaked in a mere sound of tut-tut.

  'Sorry. Uh, yes, I do. Um, why do you ask?' Lily asked rather nervously, wiping herself with her yellow hankerchief.

  'Who is she, then?' Lily's forehead etched into a frown.

  'I- I'm afraid she doesn't want to be disclosed just yet, Jenny.'

  'Please? Pretty pretty please? With a great giant jelly?' Jenny said, instantly wearing a puppy dog's eyes—those with the sad, pleading look.

  'Show me that jelly first,' Lily said.

  'Will you tell me, then?'

  'I want to see that jelly!'

  'If I do, will you tell me?'

  '…No. Cerulean is… very, very, _very_ secretive. Um. Much more quiet than I am, a mystery and uh, just a fleeting shadow,' Lily said. 'Only seen at night, though. Never in broad daylight.'

  'Is she… James… well, is she?' Finding words can be hard sometimes.

  'Er, yeah, she is.'

  '…'

  'I'm so sorry, Jenny,' Lily whispered softly. 'It was never expected.' 

  'Oh, I'll get over it soon,' Jenny said in an uncaring tone, though the cracks were quite, quite visible. Her heart was rather torn. 'Tell me, Lily, does this Cerulean love him, too?'

  'She… does. With all her heart,' Lily muttered faintly.

  'And not just a figment of an _imagination_?'

  'Certainly not.'

  'That is all, Lily. Thank you,' Jenny managed to choke. She walked briskly off at once to cry in her dormitory.

  'I'm so, so sorry, Jen,' Lily whispered miserably to no one in particular (the Gryffindors ignored her anyway, unless if it was Quidditch or when it come to rule obeying). 'I never saw it coming either.'

~ * * ~

  Masquerade came soon enough, just like it had always did five terms before. Nearly-sixteen-year-old Lily had solemnly dressed herself in the same blue robes, the same silver-white mask and the same braids she wear at most times. It is a totally different meeting, tonight.

  'Hello,' Lily greeted James, when he came down to the lake.

  'Hi Lily,' James grinned. _He_ certainly hadn't cared that much. It wasn't him who had betrayed Jenny's trust in _her_, Lily thought miserably to herself. Still, they should make the most out of whatever they can. After all, now is now and the past has long gone.

  'The magic is lost, this time. You know me and I know you. There never will be a barrier before us any longer,' Lily said quietly. 'I rather miss the old times, though.'

  'What's gone is gone,' James said with a shrug.

  'D'you think we can pay Hagrid a visit?'

  'Nah! We'll be frightening him! Besides, that dog – or hound or blood or whatever was it he planned to call that fanged creature – might be eating us!' James exclaimed with fright. He hadn't given much liking to the new puppy bloodhound (Fang) Hagrid had just gotten from his old friend. 'Can't we do fishing? We've always done fishing! Fishing is… uh, I don't know. What is fishing, Cerulean?'

  'Er, a sport?'

  Just then, a gasp and a squeal sounded from the trees nearby.

  'Who's there?' James cried sharply. 'Come down and own up before I curse you! Tell you first, I'd just mastered Transfiguration of objects! I can turn a table into a pig, so I'll probably turn you into a goat of some sort! And I don't have to do it on purpose because, er, I can do it accidentally too!'

  Meekly, Yellow Girl climbed down from the huge birch tree, looking sorry for herself but perfectly angry. James frowned at the sight of her. She followed him here?!

  'Lily! You're Cerulean!!!' the girl accused as soon as she'd marched towards the two.

  'I… am. You're right, Jenny, I _am_ Cerulean,' Lily said quietly.

  Jenny! No wonder Yellow Girl's voice sounded so familiar! James mused to himself.

  'And you wouldn't tell me who you are!' Jenny cried. 'It is you, who's going out with James!'

  'Not going out,' James said abruptly. 'We hadn't gone out together… yet.'

  'And I thought you were my friend, Lily! How _could_ you possibly do this to me? You know I love him!' Jenny cried.

  'Jenny, I—'

  'Wow, what do we have here? A drama for Christmas Eve!' Sirius grinned, walking towards them. He was taking a stroll when he heard the yells. He leaned towards James and Lily. 'And who may this pair of _beautiful_ couple be? And this yellow garbed girl?'

  'Stop joking, Sirius,' Remus chided. 'You know that it's James and two other girls. Fighting over him, probably. Poor guy.'

  'One of them is Jenny. I heard her name,' Peter supplied. 'The other's—I don't know. Who is she?'

  'Cerulean,' Lily said, curtseying a little. 'Lily Evans. Hello.'

  'Lily! How can you possibly betray my trust in you?!' Jenny shrieked.

  'Jen, please, understand—'

  'I _trusted_ you! I thought you haven't got feelings for James! I—'

  'Wow. A real nice battle here,' Sirius mused. 'Too bad, it ain't all that good. We could do with some swinging weapons and all that. Reckon it'll be more dramatized, in that case. You guys could have a sword each and all. Like Lily's fairytales. And the horses and scenic backgrounds. Oh, Hogwarts is already a castle background already! So I guess we need armour, horses, swords and a jousting match.'

  Lily stared helplessly at the ground as Jenny accused her for almost everything she had done. Despite Sirius's comment on her favourite topic, fairytales, she really wish that they'll stop taunting her already. As for James, his face was boiling red with annoyance as Jenny shot reason after reason, accuse after accuse, remark after remark and so on at Lily's hanging head.

  '…And you—'

  'I'm sorry, Jenny Kurt! I didn't really expect this!' Lily blurted suddenly when Jenny paused to fill her lung with oxygen. Without another word and with trembling lips, Lily ran straight towards and into the Forbidden Forest.

  'Can't you just shut up and let her – or me – explain to you what exactly is going on around here, or anything for that matter?' James hissed venomously. 'Sirius, Peter, Remus, I'll run after her. You guys can keep Jenny here. I'll deal with her soon—right after I'm back.' With that, James ran into the looming Forest of Hogwarts.

~ * * ~

  It was dark, eerie, and positively enchanted. The dark Forbidden Forest had definitely earned its name. Lily had no idea why she had ran in here. She just ran. How could she face anyone after what Jenny had said? How could she face Jenny again? And James? Oh, and Sirius and Remus and Peter? They probably don't even want to know her anymore, after this day!

  Well, it's a good place to hide in, the Forest. The drawback is only the eternal darkness, evil-looking faces on aged trees, trolls, gnomes and all the other nasty dark creatures.

  Lily shivered. At least she has her wand. She's a pretty good Charms student, an okay Transfiguration pupil (instead of her table turning into a full-grown pig, it turned into a baby hog) and has some knowledge of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Luckily, she is quite prepared with these little knowledge.

  'Lumos,' she whispered, holding her wand out. The twiggy wand end glowed faintly.

  The trees looked even more evil than before, if that is possible; the lines on the tree bark had seemed to dug even deeper into the trees to create this effect. And eyes! There are so many bright yellow eyes staring at her every movement! Lily know had a vague feeling of how Snow White must have felt when she was lost in the forest.

  Lily took a deep breath. This is not a time to of Brother Grimm's Tales! She should get to a clearing as soon as possible, summon her broomstick and fly out of this place, to- to- to- to somewhere. She hadn't much of an idea on where to fly to.

  'Okay, Lily. Um, Lily. Er, Lily. Ugh, why am I repeating my own name?' Lily said in annoyance to herself. 'Alright, start again. Okay, Lily, what was that tracking spell again? Point me? Or was it Crosswinds?'

  She paused to think. Should she risk turning herself into something, using the spell she don't know?

  'Forget it. I'll just keep on walking.'

  Lily sneezed when Jack Frost bit on her skin. Sensitive to cold, she is. 'Pity I didn't bring myself a jacket. Achoo! Hmph! Who would've known that it's even more freezing in here than it is at the lake?' She knew of course, but having conversation with herself is a better way to keep her mind off the current situation she's facing.

  Sitting on a flat stone somewhere nearby, she hugged her knees to her chest. 'I wonder how the others are now. Jenny must've been very mad at me.' She let out a little sniff and recognized it as a **sob**. Uh-oh! 'I'm _NOT_ going to start crying now! No!!! Don't cry! Get a sense of yourself and stop crying, you- you silly! It won't make this situation any much better than it is; probably _worse_!' Lily scolded herself as warm tears rolled down her icy white cheeks. 'You're a crybaby, Lily Rose Evans! Stop it! Stop it, I say!'

  It never ever work that well. Despite her own scoldings (which she knew must've sounded pathetic since she's talking to herself), Lily continued sobbing.

  Just then, a gallop of hooves was heard. Lily pulled her tear-stained face up. A centaur. A handsome centaur with the face of a young girl, who looked as if she could not possibly be older than the tender age of ten. Lily stared. Is it her eyes? She has got to be sure this isn't just a figment of her overactive imagination. One way to know…

  'Will you please help me? I need- I need- I need a place to go to,' Lily said, grubbily rubbing her soggy eyes. The centaur said nothing. She galloped off without a word.

  'Oh, fine. Nice help you were, Imagination,' Lily muttered formlessly. 'Thank you so much for making me feel even better, hallucinating like that.'

  Just then, another sound of galloping hooves was heard. Lily ignored it, thinking that her imagination is definitely overactive at the moment. Or if the centaur wasn't her imagination, she might've brought her friends to taunt her.

  'Lily,' James said. Lily jumped up.

  'Oh. James. You don't happen to be part of my imagination, do you?'

  'Um. No, I don't think so. Are you a part of my imagination?'

  'No, I'm perfectly real.'

  'Well, so am I. Amazing, you're very cool and calm out here alone.' Lily burst into a fresh flow of tears as she ran to him thankfully and hugged him, sobbing helplessly into his robes.

  'I guess I… spoke too soon. Are you okay?'

  'The forest's eerie! There are eyes everywhere! And the trees have faces, like trolls! And my imagination isn't making it any better—it's making it WORSE!'

  James blinked blankly. 'Um, okay. Don't worry, I'll bring you back to the school,' he said soothingly. He transformed, with a pop, into a large stag. Lily never said anything or gasp in surprise. No, she had had too much of her imagination. Everything seemed to be capable to happen now. She just want to forget it all. She climbed upon the stag tearfully, clinging onto its neck tightly before it sprinted off with the wind.

~ * * ~

  Meanwhile, by the lake, Jenny was receiving a lecture – or nags, whichever you may prefer – from the three remaining Marauders. Scolding would very much describe the kind of talk they are having too, after naggings.

  'And what exactly do you _mean_ by being friend with Lily just so that you could be with James? As Lily would have said, you're a sad excuse for a creature as intelligent as humans!' Sirius was yelling.

  'Well, I'm telling the truth! I honestly want to know James better!' Jenny cried, not a single part of her showing the shy Jenny they had known. Jealousy had reared its ugly head. 'Besides, Lily had hardly any feelings for him!'

  'Hardly? I don't know if that's true, but James _certainly_ has feelings for _her_, now that I'd seen it!' Remus yelled (which gave the other boys a kind of surprise at first). 'And I thought you were a nice girl!'

  'Yeah! How can you make use of Lily?' Peter yelled in addition.

  Just then, James stumbled out of the forest edge, Lily clinging and sobbing next to him looking very wispy, like a nymph. The boys ran to greet them at once, Sirius dragging Jenny along.

  'You shouldn't have ran in there!' Peter scolded. 'A werewolf might have bitten you!'

  'It's not a full moon,' Lily muttered, wiping her tear-stained cheeks.

  'It's still foolish,' Remus said bluntly.

  'I- I can't help it, because I just… ran in there,' confessed Lily. 'Before I realize it, I'm in the forest! It's dreadfully dark in there.'

  'Ran right into the middle,' James sighed. 'Fortunately a centaur saw her.'

  'You mean it isn't a figment of my imagination?'

  'No. Haven't you got enough of it yet?'

  'Here, why don't you bring her to Madam Pomfrey?' Sirius said, handing her a chocolate slab from his pocket. 'I hereby offer myself to "teach" Miss Jennifer Kurt some useful lessons! Free of charge, too!'

  'Thanks a lot, Sirius. See ya!' James said, leading Lily into the castle.

  'No problem. It's my _pleasure_.'

~ * * ~

  'Drink this cup of milk,' Madam Pomfrey said, handing Lily a cup of fresh milk. 'It's a good thing Black gave you some chocolate – I ran out of them.' James pretended to look as if he didn't hear the last line. Truth to be told, they had just raid the Infirmary last night because they were feeling hungry for chocolate. The Infirmary has a collection of them, and the Marauders took _every single one_.

  'I hate milk,' Lily said bluntly, wincing in disgust.

  'Drink it,' the matron said sharply. Lily gulped nervously before swallowing the creamy milk. It was much sweeter than normal milk. Yum. Not all that bad, for fresh milk.

  'Try not to be an idiot next time and run into the forest,' James said.

  'I can't help it! I didn't even _know_ that I was running into the forest,' Lily protested, placing the mug down.

  'It's almost midnight, dear. I'll leave you two here to see who this year's mistletoe couple are,' Madam Pomfrey said quietly, shutting the infirmary door. James turned to Lily, his brown eyes boring into her skin.

  'We never pulled off each other's ask before,' James said, still staring intently at Lily's mask. It is still glued to her eyes. It's amazing how Lily never pull it off throughout the night's episode. She probably had some glue on it.

  'We can, if you want,' Lily offered. She looked at her wristwatch. 'It's only ten more seconds.'

9…

8…

7… James's hands reached for her mask…

6…

5…

4…

3… Lily's fingers fingered the soft, velvet black of James's…

2…

1…

0…

  James gently lifted up Lily's silvery blue mask and Lily lifted James's—just as a huge commotion was head outside the door. They turned towards it after a moment's look at each other's mask-less face.

  'And, ah! Here's our mistletoe!' Professor Dumbledore announced cheerfully, opening the door. The whole school streamed into the room (though it's a mystery, up till now, how it had managed to fit the school), staring at Lily and James, who blinked blankly back at them.

  'It looks like it has found its couple elsewhere tonight.'

  'Jimmy! You're this year's mistletoe couple!' Sirius cried excitedly, fighting his way through the crowd to reach his best friend.

  'Jimmy, Jimminy, James. What a surprise,' Remus said in happy amusement. He glanced up, at the mistletoe. 'What blessings, Mr. Mistletoe!'

  'What are you two waiting for?' Peter yelled, Jenny next to him with a sour face. She must have gotten some hexes from the Marauders. She had weird tentacles on her forehead and her hair was doing some sort of dance on its own. Also, her face is rather… green.

  'What are we suppose to do?' James asked blankly. He had certainly not been in the Great Hall long enough. The whole school rolled their eyes. Such absurdity.

  'KISS, YOU IDIOTS!' the school yelled at the two sixth year Gryffindor prefects.

  'In front of… everyone?' Lily said rather faintly. It appears that she, too, had been lying when she told James that she look out for Mistletoe couples every Christmas Eve.

  'No, honestly, there's a private room,' Audrey Cinders, the nearest to them (besides Sirius and Remus) said. 'Of course you have to do it now, Evans. Don't be daft!'

  'We'll be an official couple after this,' James grinned at Lily cheekily. Just as she opened her mouth to reply ('We've been kind-of official since you proposed that question _PRIVATELY_, Potter,' is her intended reply), James kissed her.

  The school cheered.

  And thus is the happy ending of a story…

~ * * ~

_I believe it's a fairy tale  
A story of dreams and joy  
Mother spinning its long ago tale  
Of sweet yarn and coil_

_I dream for him, my charming prince  
A-waiting to be crowned his  
And, oh! What a joy it will then be  
For his soft, sweet, flitting kiss_

_I found my prince when I found you  
Though I never really care  
Until one day you say you're true  
When I see you're really there_

_My charming prince of dreams and wish  
You'll be there to stand by me  
I'll love you with my heart and soul  
Since that masquerade, by that tree_

_~*~_

Disclaimers: Joanne Kathleen Rowling's **Harry Potter** characters, Hogwarts and recognized magical phrases and spells; "Oh Starry Night" copyright of **SailorMoon R** (the Return), Raye's Day In Spotlight; and whatever else you recognize. That includes for names like Cinderella, BillyGoose, SnowQueen and whatever else I used. I can't afford to remember all, or I'll explode someday.

Claimer: Poems, plot, idea, story and miscellaneous characters belong to me and only me. Nothing is copied or taken (unless stated). And let's just say that these imaginations and lines and all are mine. I don't know if anyone had ever written it before or anything, so I'll just claim them.

AN: Finished. Phew. Finally, finally finished. It's TIRING, believe me, to type all these six chapters. I can't help the grammatical errors [some were MEANT to be there, on purpose, daft as it may sound] or any spelling mistakes that I'd made… Thanks to Amelia who'd read [and actually appreciated/like—whatever it is, Amelia] the poems and commented on them. For Lori Rhodes who had edited the first chapter and couldn't do the rest because she was too busy. I had to do the rest myself. Still, my very first try on a pure Lily and James series ^_^ and I finished!

 Then to all the nice people who read reviewed this fic from the start, namely: Noelle, Misty Alanna Potter, The Dreamkeeper, sweet thang, *Britz*, Fire Lizid, New Name, candy giver, Arvana,*pRiNcEsS*, Rachie.V. [who refused to review, except at some times :P], Starlet_88 [refuses to review, but still manage to torture me to finish this quickly], Pampered Tigeress, Unshed Tears, Arvana and the others whom I had probably missed over my sleepiness and because of the current time [I didn't sleep and it's about… 3am!] thank you!!!!! *hugs* you're all the nicest people ever!

 Alright, I have a few objectives when writing this: a) I want it to be good [I hope it is, but it's for you to decide]; b) I want Cerulean to be a mystery [as far as it can last :P]; c) I hope it's not the normal L/J type, and more to the side of classic [is it? I can't tell—you to decide, too]; d) I hope it has enough of twisting [which isn't clear enough, I should say]; e) my English improve [HOPEFULLY!]; f) I still want it to be a good classic [refer c]; g) People have fun reading it [do you?] and; h) all of the above [read from a to g :)] it's up to you to think if I'd succeeded or I'd failed. No in-betweens! Tell me, please!!! And I did enjoy writing it, if you want to know. Only hated chapter 5. Monstrous parents, James has. At least that explains to me how he turn "From Dunce Potter to Genius James."

 I'm dead tired. Please review for me! ^_^ I now wish you thank you in advance! Much love for those who'd endured the sad torture of bunny chan's first pure L/J series-like fic along with her monstrous poetry skills and the plot and the whole story! *bows low Marauder-fashion* I am, of course, but the one and only...   
()_()  
( '.' )~* bunny chan

Have A Merry Christmas! And may my exam results be good, or I'll be banned until January! ^_^


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